Confidentiality,a double-edged sword

MUTATRE: She cared for two bed-ridden HIV positive daughters and a son for 12 years. All three died.

Now, 76-year-old grandmother Ena* of Mutare, a town on the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is living with HIV herself. But the burden of caring for her eight orphaned grandchildren remains entirely hers.

"Someone should have told me that my children were dying from AIDS," laments Mbuya, as grandmothers are known colloquially in this part of the world. "I could have taken precaution while I cared for them during their illness. I could have avoided exposing myself to the virus. Now, who will care for me when I eventually fall ill from AIDS? Who will care for my orphaned grandchildren when I die from this disease?"

Editor's Comment
Justice delayed is trust denied

Batswana who marched peacefully for 'Justice for Tshepi' demanded answers. They have now received a detailed account of police investigation and a promise that the file is with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The real test is whether the state now keeps its word without further prodding. In his address, the minister asked the nation to trust the process. He spoke of rigour, not neglect, and pointed to 10 months of...

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