1. Treatment of HIV and AIDS.
• In this unit you will learn about medications that treat HIV and AIDS.
They are called antiretroviral medicines, or ARVs. You will also learn
why HIV and AIDS patients must always take their ARVs. You will also
learn why HIV and AIDS patients must always take their ARVs.

2. Objectives
By the end of this unit you will be able to:
Explain what antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) do.
Explain the basic facts about HIV/AIDS treatment.
Recognize the names of ARVs and the basic symbols used
in your treatment cards.
Explain where and how to store ARVs.

3. HIV and AIDS Treatment
• There is no cure for HIV. HIV stays in the body
forever.
• People with HIV take medicines called
antiretroviral, or ARVs.
• When people are diagnosed with HIV, they do not
always take ARVs right away. The doctor decides
when to start the ARVs. The doctor decides which
ARVs they will take. Different people need
different ARVs. Many people take more than one
type.

4. Continue……
• People diagnosed with HIV visit the doctor once a month. If they are not yet
taking ARVs, the doctor checks them to see if they need to start. If they are
taking ARVs, the doctor checks them to see if they are working.
• If they start and stop taking ARVs, the HIV in their bodies will be able to fight
the ARVs. This is called drug resistance. The ARVs will not work as well as
they should.
• Pregnant women and babies with HIV and AIDS are different. Their doctors
tell them what ARVs to take and when. They may have to come to the clinic
more than once a month.
• Once there is a certain level of HIV in a patient’s body, the doctor or nurse
will start ARVs. After people with HIV have started ARVs they must take
them every day for the rest of their lives. This is called adherence. If they
stop taking them, or miss some, they can get sick. They can move from
Stage 2 to Stage 3, or to Stage 4. They can even get so sick that they die.

5. Living positively
People with HIV should not drink alcohol

6. They also should not smoke

7. They should eat healthy food, which will help them to
be always on a good condition

8. They must always do protected sex
Even people taking ARVs can infect other people. People with HIV and
AIDS should always use a condom when having sex. They should never
have unprotected sex.

9. Look at these pictures of person. He has HIV in both photos. The first
photo was taken before he started taking ARVs. The second was taken
after he started taking ARVs and began living a positive lifestyle
Before After

10. Treatment card pictures for
antiretroviral medicine
• Here are a few examples of the treatment card
pictures for ARVs. You will find the treatment
cards after the Accompagnateur Checklist and
the page for Notes and Questions. Each card
includes the name of the pill featured on the
card, a photo of the pill, the number of times
it must be taken, and the time or times of day
it must be taken. If there are special
instructions, such as “take with food,” they are
included also.

11. This picture means: take the medicine in the
morning, at 6 A.M.

12. This picture means: take the medicine in the
evening, at 6 P.M.

13. ARVs must be taken with care.
• Some people have to take 4 or 5 different
medicines a day.
• Some medicines have to be taken without food.
• Some medicines have to be taken with food.
• Some have to be taken in the morning.
• Some have to be taken at night.
• You will see these pills in your treatment cards.

14. references
To read more about treatment of HIV and
aids click here
www.avert.org/aids-hiv-treatment.htm
www.avert.org/cure-for-aids.htm

15. Accompagnateurs and ARVs

16. Continue……

17. Continue….

18. Continue…..

19. Continue……

20. Accompagnateur Checklist
Collect medicine from the clinic every month.
Store medicine in a safe, dry place, away from
sunlight and children.
Check that patients have the correct ARVs.
Ensure that patients are taking their prescribed
ARVs correctly.
Observe patients for signs that they are not
practicing healthy behaviours. Counsel them.
Refer them to the clinic