Need help from the NAG hivemind

[Chainsaw]

Hi guys

I currently don't have internet access (beisdes my phone) and I need some help. A classmate of mine suffered a needle stick injury from an HIV+ patient this afternoon (we're paramedic students). Problem is, she doesn't wantto go onto ARVs or PEP. I've gotten her to agree to go for counselling at least once, though. Problem is, the HIV clinic that I know in Cape Town has closed.

Nag forumites, do any of you of a decent HIV counselling clinic in the Cape Town area? Northern suburbs area preferrably. If someone could even find out for me, it'd be greatly appreciated, since googling on your phone is a biiitch.

Thanks in advance!

[Zoop]

I'm having a hard time getting hold of a physical address for a testing centre, but I've found this so far;

You can contact the toll-free National AIDS Helpline at 0800 012 322. The operator will be able to direct you to a testing centre nearest to where you live.

You can also contact your local AIDS Training, Information and Counselling Centre (ATICC). There are branches countrywide in South Africa (see list below).

ATICC Cape Town: 021 – 797 3327

Might be worth calling the AIDS helpline. I'll check around some more and see if I find a clinic with a physical address. From the sound of it, most clinics have facilities for AIDS tests, but I'm not sure if they all have counselling.

Hoping for the best dude.

[Jeronkey]

I'm really sorry to hear your friend's condition. I'm completely unfamiliar with Cape Town, and I'm unsure how these details will help, but I found a bit more information on that ATICC that Zoop mentioned above.

First-time visitors to the clinic or community health centre will be asked to fill out a form and a folder will be opened for the patient. You should bring your ID book with you.

Phone: 021 763 5320/1/2/3.

Hours for testing at ATICC are as follows:
Monday: 09:30 - 12:30
Tuesday: 09:00 - 12:00
Wednesday: 08:30 - 11:30
Thursday: 09:30 - 12:30
Friday: 09:30 - 11:30

... and there is also a weird map at for the place here, although as far as I can make out the physical address seems to be somewhere in Burnham Road or Timour Hall Road. Definitely near "Constaniaberg Hospital" if that helps at all.

EDIT: Some other details..

Life Line (Counselling Centre)
56 Roeland Street, Cape Town 8001, Peninsula, Western Cape, South Africa
021 461 1113
www.lifeline.co.za

[Chainsaw]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. Going to check those places out today.

[Darkmag]

Why doesn't she want to use ARV and PEP?!?! that just idiotic. If she goes on the drugs ASAP there is a good chance(80%) she could get rid of the disease, before it becomes a problem. There is a 72hour window, after that the odds decrease drasticly.

[D34thByCh01c3]

^^THIS is more info on what Darkmag said

[Chainsaw]

Yes, we know about ARVs and PEP, but directly after something like that happens to you, you don't exactly think logically. Denial is a pretty big thing that people don't always have control over. Anyway, went to ATICC like Zoop and Jeronkey posted about and the place was very nice. Good staff and procedures in place and the situation is being handled nicely.

Thanks for the help guys :)

[Cranky]

Ul man and hope she can get through this.


And watch a movie called PUNCTURE . based on a true story. Regarding exactely this..

[Drakus]

How long after the needle was used on a HIV patient did she get stuck with the needle?

[Chainsaw]

How long after the needle was used on a HIV patient did she get stuck with the needle?

It was a suturing needle. She got pricked while she was suturing. So directly after, I guess?

[B4warn3d]

Did the needle break her skin? In other words, was blood drawn from this injury? Even though she did get pricked, there still needs to be a sufficient amount of virus present for transmission. And according to OSHA the chances of being infected by a "simple "needle prick is less than 1%....this figure does get much higher when some factors are taken into consideration, like if the needle was covered in blood and if the needle was in the patient's veins ect.

Of coarse using the ARV's and PEP immediately after the prick would have reduced her chances of contracting the virus, She should go get herself tested after the 3 month period to confirm if she contracted the virus.

[Chainsaw]

Yes, skin was broken and there was some bleeding. The needle wasn't 'covered' in blood, but it had moved through well-vascularized tissue and most probably came into contact with blood.

We know all the protocols and literature and such on needle stick injuries and everything associated with them. This thread was to find a decent counselling center to help her overcome the initial shock of the incident and make the correct decisions, which we have now done. So again, thanks for the help guys. Really appreciate the hivemind's ability to quickly cover just about any topic :P