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“… It is difficult to care for male patients; they don’t want to get tested or to go for
treatment. Some don’t want people to know that they are sick so when you visit them they say
that I am fine just make food for me, they feel ashamed because they think that you will tell
everybody that they are sick. Others don’t want you to come near them, they just refuse, and
they call you ‘umfazi’ (woman). My patient absolutely refused until he died. He never went
for a test or to get treatment fearing to be seen by people. He had a terrible STD all over his
private part there were sores and his private part was destroyed. He was always sleeping
with a towel around him. He could not even walk… But one could tell from the smell that this
person has never been through a drop of water. He refused my help until he died.”
(Focus group 4, organisation D)
Volunteer caregivers dealt with this challenge by explaining their role, exercising patience
and negotiating with such patients to accept their help:
“When you get to a male patient who is afraid and ashamed of you caring and touching him
as a female, you sit down and explain to him. You explain the organisation you are coming
from and the work that you do. You tell him that you will now be like a family member to him
because you will be coming often to see and take care of him and you will not tell anyone
about their status you tell them that if it is medication you will fetch it for them and you will
do everything for them to improve their health…” (Focus group 7, organisation G)
4.6.6 Insufficient knowledge on infection control practices by community members and
volunteer caregivers
Volunteer caregivers complained about insufficient knowledge on infection control practices
due to once off training that they received. Once off training could not equip them with
sufficient knowledge and skills to cover all emerging diverse situations in caring for PLWHA
and to be professionals in their field like nurses and doctors:
“We have had different trainings but we haven’t got much training about infection control
but we would appreciate it if we can get it. We only had a workshop about it but it was not
enough we need more knowledge about how to protect ourselves this job is too risky”.
(Focus group 3, organisation C)
Although most of these volunteer caregivers received training from the DoH, some volunteer
caregivers from one newly formed HBCO were taught skills and knowledge on infection
control practices by their project manager who was also their HBCC. Insufficient knowledge
on infection control practices put volunteer caregivers at risk of catching infections. For
example, one project manager/HBCC confirmed that she provided training to the volunteer
caregivers based on the knowledge that she received during her career as a nurse because she
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