Maravi

NGO urges third-line HIV treatment

NGO urges third-line HIV treatment
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tue 04 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT

AN ANTI-AIDS organisation has urged the government to look into the possibility of availing third line treatment for HIV patients next year.

But Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr Kamoto Mbewe said those who were failing on the second line of antiretroviral therapy (ART) would be treated individually and alternative drugs would be found for them.

Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC) country coordinator Felix Mwanza said evidence was there that people were failing on second line treatment.

Mwanza said even though there was cases in Lusaka and Kitwe, there were signs that there could be a similar situation throughout the country.

He said what was needed was to put in place measures to ascertain whether all those who are on second line treatment were failing or not.

He said failure to procure the third line drugs would have future complications as people could develop a very resistance HIV which could prove costly.

But Dr Mbewe said over 94 per cent of HIV patients were still responsive to the second line treatment and those failing were a small percentage.

And Mwanza said the year 2010 had been a very challenging year in as far as health and HIV and AIDS was concerned.

Mwanza said though there was a reduction in the number of new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS related illnesses at the global level, People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLHA) in Zambia faced some challenges.

He said drug shortages for both HIV, tuberculosis and other essential medicines were the order of the day throughout the country.

Mwanza said the suspension of the Global Funds to the Ministry of Health had a devastating effect on people living with HIV as a lot of services that are supported by Global Funds suffered.

“The misapplication, abuse of Global Funds by the principal recipients has further dented our ability as a nation to attract further funding not only from the Global Fund but other co-operating partners as well,” he said.

He said the failure by relevant authorities to act following the report on the abuse has left psychological anguish among PLHAs and further depressed them.

Mwanza said the non proactiveness by the National AIDS Council does not inspire PLHAs and later on the general members of the public.

Labels: FELIX MWANZA, HIV/AIDS, KAMOTO MBEWE, NGOs, TALC

posted by MrK @ 8:59 AM