Initial anticipations and experiences of antiretroviral therapy among managers at ART-assessment facilities in the Free State

Abstract

English: Before the implementation of ART, and again seven months later, interviews were conducted with facility managers and nurses leading PHC programmes. Their perceptions of the impact of ART are discussed. A positive finding was that ART assessment site managers had been optimistic about ART from the outset, and by the end of the sevenmonth period even more so. Nurses leading other PHC programmes were initially concerned about overcrowding the facility due to ART, but this problem did not feature prominently during the follow-up survey. ART programme nurses’ perceptions of the problems at their facilities mostly related to staff and space. On the whole the data show that pessimism preceding the implementation of ART was in many respects allayed with implementation.

Afrikaans: Voor die implementering van ART, en weer sewe maande later, is onderhoude gevoer met fasiliteitsbestuurders en verpleegkundiges wat PGS-programme lei. Hul persepsies van die impak van ART word bespreek. ’n Positiewe bevinding was dat die bestuurders van assesseringsfasiliteite uit die staanspoor optimisties was oor ART, en teen die einde van die sewe maande-periode selfs meer so. Verpleegkundiges wat ander PGS-programme lei, was aanvanklik besorg oor oorlading van die fasiliteit vanweë ART, maar dié probleem was nie prominent tydens die opvolgopname nie. Verpleegkundiges in die ARTprogram se persepsies van die probleme wat in hulle fasiliteite ontstaan het, het meestal met personeel en ruimte verband gehou. In die geheel toon die data dat die pessimisme wat ART voorafgegaan het, in vele opsigte met implementering weerlê is.