MGRM has been contacted by the Health Department for a conversation about this situation, and more generally about the situations faced by people living with HIV who take their primary care from Mater Dei or the Gozo General Hospital. The reason behind the delay was attributed to shortage of stock, a situation created by Brexit, and unexpected delays in a London airport. Nevertheless, urgent stocks will arrive by early next week, and it is thought that enough medicine has now been retrieved to treat those who have had no medication at all.
As a quick resolution, we have been told that Pharmacy will be open today (Sunday) in order to see urgent patients. If you are affected, please call Pharmacy after 12:00 today before pick-up at Mater Dei. Some worst affected persons have told us that by yesterday evening they had received medication, and alongside the medication sourced by those who had excess pills to spare, we think that we have managed to alleviate this crisis.
Going forward, we need people to start speaking up. We do not say this lightly. The HIV+ community has got to start speaking up and start speaking together. Do not wait for someone else to speak to us and hope for the best. You need to find the courage speak up for your rights yourself. Although this is life saving medication, you have a right to treatment, just like any other patient receiving treatment for any other condition in Malta.
If we want this incident to never happen again:
The moment there is a problem with medication
The moment you get less medication because of a shortage
The moment Pharmacy gives you a bad service
The moment treatment is refused because of HIV
More generally the moment you feel let down by the system because of your HIV status
…PLEASE get in touch with MGRM/HIV Malta, Checkpoint Malta, ARC - allied rainbow communities, aditus or LGBTI+ Gozo. We can carry your voice and pass on the message, but without a strong community presence, it is a difficult task to achieve.
