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“Because we take drugs….no time to go to hospital!”)(Male, 36yrs, Upper secondary education, DU)There were very few complaints about adhering to the strict drug-taking schedule, evenduring fasting month with the necessary adjustments. In fact, only one womanexperienced a problem remembering to take her medication on time, and this was whileshe was working.Infected women and children are provided with fully subsidized HIV drugs, as pernational policy. However, there were accounts of people in other groups, for whommedication is only partially subsidized, who stopped taking their medication because theycould not afford it. Prices they paid ranged from RM90 or RM140 per month to RM250for three months’ supply. One mentioned a drug treatment price of RM706 per month.One or two DU men had access to HIV drugs that were given free on a clinical trial basisbut this free “trial” supply has continued for more than five years. A participant inKelantan noted that, in the past few months, the hospital in Kuala Trengganu provided alldrugs free to HIV patients, regardless of mode of transmission. In fact, a few participantsreported that all drugs are now provided free where before they had to pay for one ormore.Not many participants used traditional medicines or alternative therapies. A smallnumber mentioned that they heard of traditional therapies but none were taking any atpresent. One mentioned knowledge of someone taking a herbal medicine which costRM1000 a bottle from Terengganu. How much quantity this bought or how long it lastsfor was not known. Another DU participant said he tried a traditional drug for threemonths but, after finding no benefit, went back to modern drug therapy. Althoughspiritual healing is known to be popular in Malaysia, only one woman in Kuching drankwater blessed by a spiritual/religious healer.In terms of supplements and diet, a few participants, mainly women, expressed consciousefforts to take supplements or make dietary changes in light of their HIV status. A fewsaid they tried to consume more vegetables, especially green vegetables. One youngwoman, with tertiary education, said she looked out for food supplements specifically toboost her immunity. Such food supplements, she added, are not cheap. Anotherconcurred by noting the price of one supplement as RM500 a bottle (Elken?). Twoothers, respectively, took spirulina and a blood tonic. A few others, including from othergroups obtained vitamins from the hospital where they get treated. None of the womenSWs who are still doing business consume vitamins or other health supplements.None of the Chin refugees are aware of any traditional therapy or supplements. Only onerefugee was prescribed vitamins by his doctor but, at that point, had not started taking itsince his doctor did not tell him when to begin. Whether this was a result of a languagebarrier between a doctor and a foreigner, or simply an oversight on the doctor’s part, it isa useful reminder of the importance of clear communication by healthcare staff aspatients follow instructions on their medications implicitly.In terms of other health and lifestyle behaviour, a few of the participants were active drugusers; primarily women sex workers followed by DUs. It is interesting to note that all thesex workers who are drug users or drug dependent were introduced to drugs by theirhusband or boyfriend. While alcohol consumption was not common among the40