When Fredrick Richard, alias Mzee Masongo, went for his regular medical check-up at a hospital in Tanzania a decade ago, the results pulled a shocker that changed the course of his life.
He was informed he had HIV/AIDS and was consequently introduced to Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to manage the condition.
Nevertheless, the 64 years old kept the faith and initiated a spirited fight as he moved from one herbalist to another with the hope that he will be healed.
However, the condition came with a barrage of social and economic challenges.
According to Mzee Masongo, after he began taking the prescribed drugs his health deteriorated that he couldn’t continue with farming activities.
With over 30 cows, the father of 19 begun selling his animals one by one to fend for his family needs as he struggled to maintain the sickness.
After years of struggle, the fortunes of the once-promising family were depleted as poverty came calling.
When Tanzanian blogger, Millard Ayo, visited his home in Mara Province in Tanzania a devastated Mzee Masongo narrated a classic case of medical negligence unimaginable.
In the video uploaded at the blogger’s YouTube channel, Mzee Masongo is first seen sitting beside his house and pensively looking around his homestead.
Seemingly ingrained in deep thoughts, he braves the memory of his painful life and gives a blow-by-blow account of what happened several years back.
“I loved going for a regular medical check-up until I was informed I had HIV. By that time, I had tested not less than 10 times for the Virus,” he begun narrating.
He further adds that the results never stopped him from engaging in sexual activity with his wives, however, it took him three years to reveal he was ‘HIV positive.’
“The first day he didn’t tell me, I learnt through my co-wife three years later,” said one of the wives.
Shockingly, when the wives went for HIV testing the results turned negative on every visit. And that marked the beginning of their journey to seek answers.
Mzee Masongo thereafter visited medical facilities several times to verify his status and all turned Negative.
However, doctors continued to book him for a check-up after check-up but all turned same.
The husband to three revealed that at one point the doctors denied him the results of the check-ups and insisted he should continue with the medication.
When the trend became unbearable, Mzee Masongo opted for a check-up at another clinic where several tests were conducted.
A decade later, Mzee Masongo who has lived his life fighting the virus turned out HIV negative. Despite the massive damage, the man is not ready for a legal action saying it was a human error.
According to Aidsinfo website, HIV medicine has got long time side effects such as kidney problems, including kidney failure, liver damage , heart disease, diabetes or insulin resistance, weakening of bones among others.