HIV sufferers in drought-hit southern Africa have had to eat cow dung with their medication to make it work because they cannot afford food.
Siyabonga Sithole, from the Swaziland Network of People Living with HIV and Aids, said aid workers were shocked to see how people had been forced to live.
‘HIV patients are told their drugs will not work unless they have something in their stomachs – but many people are suffering an economic crisis, which means they are unable to buy food,’ he said.
‘I first saw two months ago residents drying cow dung and mixing it with water to eat before they take their pills. I was told three or four people were doing this but since then the number has grown.’
The eating of cow manure is most common in the eastern Lubombo region, which has suffered a prolonged period without rain, and where up to half of the population is HIV positive.
Local MP Joseph Souza confirmed he had seen his constituents eating cow faeces.
Swaziland is one of the world’s HIV capitals – with a quarter of the adults among its 1.2million people testing positive. Many have been given antiretroviral drugs – but these could soon run out as the economy collapses.
‘HIV patients are told their drugs will not work unless they have something in their stomachs – but many people are suffering an economic crisis, which means they are unable to buy food,’ he said.
‘I first saw two months ago residents drying cow dung and mixing it with water to eat before they take their pills. I was told three or four people were doing this but since then the number has grown.’
The eating of cow manure is most common in the eastern Lubombo region, which has suffered a prolonged period without rain, and where up to half of the population is HIV positive.
Local MP Joseph Souza confirmed he had seen his constituents eating cow faeces.
Swaziland is one of the world’s HIV capitals – with a quarter of the adults among its 1.2million people testing positive. Many have been given antiretroviral drugs – but these could soon run out as the economy collapses.
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