Closer to zero : reflections on ten years of ART rollout : reflections

• Published in: Southern African journal of HIV medicine Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 9
• Main Author: Moorhouse, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG) 01-03-2014
• ISSN: 1608-9693; 2078-6751
• DOI: 10.7196/SAJHIVMED.1030

To reflect upon ten years of antiretroviral therapy (ART) rollout, one really should set the clock back a little further to see the massive impact of ART on our lives - for clinicians and patients alike. My own journey with HIV began in 1999 when, as a young doctor, I decided to venture into private practice with a local general practitioner (GP) while assessing my career prospects. A week into my new job, the GP went on a trip overseas, leaving me with the following pearls: 'look after the HIV patients and don't let any die before I get back'. I was terrified, as HIV had not formed an extensive part of the medical school curriculum when I trained, and while our exposure to such patients was considerable, we were taught that the only management options were palliative.