Introduction Finding out you are HIV positive can unleash a bundle of emotions: shock, fear, guilt, shame, anger - the list goes on. And yes, testing positive can certainly be devastating news, but it is no longer the death sentence it once was. While there is no cure for HIV infection, dramatic advances in treatment have truly changed what it means to live with the HIV virus.
The important thing about knowing your HIV status is that you have a chance to fight the virus and take steps to protect your health. This starts with learning more about how the virus works in your body, educating yourself about the different aspects of being infected and reviewing the various healthcare options that are available to you.
In the Netherlands the general HIV health care works as follows:
After the diagnosis of HIV or AIDS, a patient is referred to an HIV Treatment Centre. There are 24 HIV Treatment Centres in the Netherlands. These HIV Treatment Centres were established by the Dutch Minister of Health to provide clinical care for HIV infected clients in the Netherlands. The patient is referred to the department of Internal medicine where, among other illnesses, HIV is managed. The internist, HIV specialist physician, is responsible for all the technical aspects of HIV treatment, such as establishing a diagnosis, recommending clinical tests, and all other medical related aspects of the health of the patient.
In these HIV Treatment Centres there are specially trained nurses (HIV specialist nurses) who are supposed to see HIV positive clients two to four times a year, after their routine check-up appointment with the internist/physician. The HIV specialist nurse often has more time for the patient than the internist. The specialist nurse is responsible for giving extensive information to the patient on their medical condition, and social and psychological support. The information ranges from the epidemiology of HIV, how it develops itself within the human body, how it can be controlled by medication, aspects of the medication, the importance of adherence to the regimen and any other information that a nurse might consider important for the patient in terms of dealing with HIV/AIDS. This can also include issues of sexual health, (un)safe sex and other STIs.
The only way to know if you are HIV-positive is through an HIV test. If you have recently been exposed to HIV, or think you may have been exposed to HIV, then contact a doctor, visit your local GGD or sexual health clinic. They will provide you with the necessary counselling, testing and advise on what steps you need to take. |
