Kenya: Irregular Drug Access Hurts Aids Fight

[Guest guest]

The Nation (Nairobi)

Kenya: Irregular Drug Access Hurts Aids Fight

Ng'etich and Gatonye Gathura

22 November 2011

Interrupted drug access is hampering the war on HIV/Aids, says a Cabinet

minister.

Medical Services minister Anyang' Nyong'o on Tuesday said patients tend to

develop resistance to treatment if they fail to take antiretroviral drugs

regularly.

Prof Nyong'o said lack of enough staff was also hampering the fight against the

scourge.

" One of the emerging challenges is the development of HIV/Aids drug resistance

among patients. Factors like interrupted drug access, staff shortage and

inadequate patient monitoring lead to drug resistance, " he said.

He spoke during the seventh HIV Care and Treatment Consultative Forum at

Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi.

He said lack of transport to clinics was also a problem the ministry was

grappling with in the fight against HIV/Aids.

" Consequences of harbouring drug-resistant virus strains include treatment

failure for affected patients and increased direct and indirect cost of

healthcare, " the Medical Services minister said.

Prof Nyong'o, who also launched the fourth edition of the therapy guidelines,

said the ministry was strengthening procurement and supply management systems to

minimise drug resistance.

The document guides health workers on the management of opportunistic infections

as well as chronic non-communicable diseases.

He said the country was lucky to have the Kenya Medical Research Institute and

the Centre for Disease Control accredited by the World Health Organisation to

conduct research on HIV drug resistance.

The forum comes in the backdrop of a recent study in Kenya and several African

countries linking increased HIV transmission to a popular birth control drug,

Depo Provera, which is the subject of a high-level assessment by WHO.

According to Dr Suzanne Reier, a senior consultant with the world body in

Geneva, the organisation was setting up a team of experts who will assess all

related studies and advise on the drug's safety.

" This recent study has raised concerns across the world and could have

devastating implications on family planning in the region, " said Dr Reier.

In October, a study carried out by several local and international researchers

claimed the family planning drug increased the risk of HIV transmission and

advised women to use it together with condoms.

[Guest guest]

The Nation (Nairobi)

Kenya: Irregular Drug Access Hurts Aids Fight

Ng'etich and Gatonye Gathura

22 November 2011

Interrupted drug access is hampering the war on HIV/Aids, says a Cabinet

minister.

Medical Services minister Anyang' Nyong'o on Tuesday said patients tend to

develop resistance to treatment if they fail to take antiretroviral drugs

regularly.

Prof Nyong'o said lack of enough staff was also hampering the fight against the

scourge.

" One of the emerging challenges is the development of HIV/Aids drug resistance

among patients. Factors like interrupted drug access, staff shortage and

inadequate patient monitoring lead to drug resistance, " he said.

He spoke during the seventh HIV Care and Treatment Consultative Forum at

Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi.

He said lack of transport to clinics was also a problem the ministry was

grappling with in the fight against HIV/Aids.

" Consequences of harbouring drug-resistant virus strains include treatment

failure for affected patients and increased direct and indirect cost of

healthcare, " the Medical Services minister said.

Prof Nyong'o, who also launched the fourth edition of the therapy guidelines,

said the ministry was strengthening procurement and supply management systems to

minimise drug resistance.

The document guides health workers on the management of opportunistic infections

as well as chronic non-communicable diseases.

He said the country was lucky to have the Kenya Medical Research Institute and

the Centre for Disease Control accredited by the World Health Organisation to

conduct research on HIV drug resistance.

The forum comes in the backdrop of a recent study in Kenya and several African

countries linking increased HIV transmission to a popular birth control drug,

Depo Provera, which is the subject of a high-level assessment by WHO.

According to Dr Suzanne Reier, a senior consultant with the world body in

Geneva, the organisation was setting up a team of experts who will assess all

related studies and advise on the drug's safety.

" This recent study has raised concerns across the world and could have

devastating implications on family planning in the region, " said Dr Reier.

In October, a study carried out by several local and international researchers

claimed the family planning drug increased the risk of HIV transmission and

advised women to use it together with condoms.