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ZIMBABWE is experiencing a serious shortage of anti retroviral drugs in public health institutions
There is a shortage of antiretroviral drugs in Zimbabwe’s public health institutions raising fears of drug interruptions among people taking the life-saving treatment should the situation continue.
HIV positive people who are taking abacavir — a second line ARV drug — are being given a week’s supply of the drug instead of the traditional three months supply because of the drug shortage .
Abacavir is one of the commonly used ARVs for management of people who would have failed or reacted to first line drugs.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, about 35 percent of an estimated one million people on ARVs are on second line treatment.
The shortages were sparked by current shortages of foreign currency to make orders with international suppliers.
HIV activists yesterday expressed concern at the current stock levels, urging Government to prioritise foreign currency for medicines.
Ms Chiwetani called on Government to sort out the issue as a matter of urgency before multi-drug resistant HIV starts developing.
Recently, the World Health Organisation warned of drug resistant HIV as an emerging threat in some developing countries, Zimbabwe included.
Drug interruption is one of the reasons cited for increased cases of this new strain. Source – zimpapers