IRIN/PlusNews reported on 16 October that the Zimbabwean government has announced that nurses will be trained to prescribe and manage antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment in order to achieve the target of reaching 85% or people in need of HIV treatment by the end of 2012.
Experts welcomed the move but warned that nurses would have to be adequately prepared and supported to take on the additional duties. Previously, nurses were allowed only to administer the drugs after a doctor had prescribed them. Now, changes made in the job descriptions of nurses by the Nurses’ Council of Zimbabwe will see them prescribing the medication.
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