BENEFITS OF PREMARITAL TESTING (FAIDA ZA KUPIMA AFYA WAKATI WA UCHUMBA)

 Video link: Faida za kupima afya wakati wa uchumba

BENEFITS OF PREMARITAL TESTING

(FAIDA ZA KUPIMA AFYA WAKATI WA UCHUMBA)

1. Make the right mental decisions before the feeling of love blinds you.

It is advisable to test every three months twice (6 months before getting married). This is because the test used detects antibodies (antibody test) and does not detect the virus directly.

2. Take precautions if you are infected

Even a person living with HIV should be careful because they can be infected again. They can be infected with other, more severe strains of viruses. 

3. Treat opportunistic diseases early and avoid risks

A person living with HIV can be healthy if they treat and protect themselves from opportunistic diseases. They should not delay getting treatment because HIV has weakened their immune system.

4. Avoiding infecting your partner and your children

If a person knows their HIV status, it is easier to protect their partner and avoid giving birth to children with HIV. 

5. Caution

(I) Do not start sexual relations before getting married. If you do so, you will not only offend God but you may neglect health testing and put yourself at risk.

(ii) Do not bribe a doctor to deceive the pastor or the community. Realize that knowing your HIV status is for your benefit.

(iii) Do not use cunning to deceive your partner. If you already know that you are living with HIV, do not deceive your partner. If he finds out later, your marriage will not last. You will live only for raising your children and not for true love.

(iv). When you decide to live as a couple where one of you is living with HIV (discordant couples), it is important that the parents are involved before the marriage registrar registers it. This helps to avoid blame. However, living with HIV does not disqualify a person from getting married. 

(v) Distinguish between healing and treatment. When the viral load decreases (viral suppression) to the point where a person cannot infect another person, it does not mean that they have been cured.

(vi) If you have been cured, confirm it through the same tests that told you that you were infected. I believe that no one realizes that they are living with HIV through religious leaders. So if a person is cured, they should use medical tests to confirm it. 

Even when the Lord Jesus healed, He sent the lepers to experts who were allowed to declare that the leprosy was cured. Luke 17:14 “When he saw them, he said to them, Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

FAIDA ZA KUPIMA AFYA WAKATI WA UCHUMBA

1. Kufanya maamuzi sahihi kiakili kabla hamjapofushwa na hisia ya upendo wa tamaa.

Inafaa kupima kila baada ya miezi mitatu mara mbili (miezi 6 kabla ya kufunga ndoa). Hii ni kwasababu kipimo kinachotumika kinatambua kingamwili (antibody test) na hakioni virusi moja kwa moja.

2. Kuchukua tahadhari kama umeambukizwa

Hata mtu anayeshi na VVU anatakiwa kuwa mwangalifu kwa vile anaweza kuambukizwa tena. Anaweza kuambukizwa virusi vya aina nyingine vikali zaidi.

3. Kutibu mapema magonjwa nyemelezi na kuepuka uhatarishi

Mtu anayeishi na VVU akitibu na kujikinga na magonjwa nyemelezi anaweza kuwa na afya njema. Hatakiwi kuchelewa kupata matibabu kwa vile mfumo wake wa kinga umedhoofishwa na VVU.

4. Kuepuka kumuambukiza mwenzako na watoto wako

Mtu akijua hali yake ya VVU ni rahisi kumlinda mwenzi wake na kuepuka kuzaa watoto wenye maambukizi ya VVU.

5. Tahadhari

(I) Msianze mahusiano ya kimapenzi kabla ya kufunga ndoa. Mkifanya hivyo sio tu kwamba mnamkosea Mungu lakini mtapuuzia kupima afya na kujiweka katika mazingira hatarishi.

(ii) Msimhonge daktari ili mkamdanganye mchungaji au jamii. Tambueni kwamba kujua hali yenu ya VVU ni kwa faida yenu wenyewe.

(iii) Usitumie ujanja kumdanganya mwenzako. Kama tayari unajijua kwamba unaishi na VVU usimdanganye mwenzako. Kama atagundua badae, ndoa yenu haitadumu. Mtaishi kwa ajili tu ya kulea watoto wenu na sio kwa upendo wa dhati.

(iv). Mnapoamua kuishi kama wenzi ambao mmojawapo anaishi na VVU (discordant couples) ni muhimu wazazi kuhusishwa kabla ya msajili wa ndoa kuifunga. Hii inasaidia kuepusha lawama. Hata hivyo kuishi na VVU hakumfanyi mtu akose sifa za kufunga ndoa.

(v) Mtofautishe uponyaji na matibabu. Kiwango cha virusi kinapopungua (viral suppression) kiasi ambacho mtu haweza kumuambukiza mwenzake haimaanishi kwamba amepona.

(vi) Kama umepona thibitisha kupitia vipimo vilevile vilivyokuambia umeambukizwa. Naamini kwamba hakuna mtu anatambua kwamba anaishi na VVU kupitia kwa viongozi wa dini. Hivyo kama mtu atapona atumie vipimo vya hospitali kuthibitisha. 

Hata Bwana Yesu alipoponywa watu wenye ukoma aliwatuma kwa wataalam ambao wanaruhusiwa kutangaza kwamba ukoma umepona. Luka 17:14 “Alipowaona aliwaambia, Enendeni, mkajionyeshe kwa makuhani.”

Dr. Lawi Mshana, Facilitator & Trainer, +255712924234, Tanzania