Wellness & Fitness

When Hiv drug for ‘innocent’ arrives

hiv

Kenya has the fourth largest HIV pandemic with 100,000 infections each year. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Next month the government will roll out a new HIV prevention strategy known as Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

Experts say it is deemed as a potential game changer in the fight against HIV, which infects about 100,000 Kenyans each year. The drug, called Truvada in pharmaceutical circles, can reduce risk of infection by more than 90 per cent.

Dr Sarah Masyuko, PrEP Programme manager at National AIDS and STI Control Programme (Nascop) says the drug is specifically targeting all people who are at a continuous high risk of getting infected with the virus.

This includes HIV negative individuals who have sexual partners whose status is unknown, but are suspected to be indulging in risky sexual behaviour. By so doing, the drug protects the ‘innocent’ party from infection.

Also targeted are people in discordant relationships, where one partner is HIV positive while the other is negative.

Dr Masyuko says: “These unions are often strained and are prone dissolutions as the healthy person will fear getting the infection from the partner.”

Other high risk groups that are suitable candidates for PrEP include commercial sex workers, injecting drug users and men who have sex with men.

These individuals are considered as key populations in the fight against HIV in Kenya with 30 per cent of HIV infections in the country occuring among this group.

Nascop also has its sights trained on the young population (especially those between the ages of 15 and 24) who studies show that they are increasingly putting themselves in circumstances that increase their risk of HIV infection.

This includes having unprotected sex with multiple partners or heavy drinking that makes them vulnerable to rape in social joints.

Dr Martin Sirengo, head of Nascop says when effectively administered, PrEP, will not only help in substantially cutting down new infections, but also the cost of adminstering the current viral management drug regimen.

To show why PrEP is a huge leap in the fight against HIV, Dr Sirengo says first, it was the Antiretroviral therapies (ARVs) that slow down the multiplication of the virus thus prolonging the duration and life quality of those infected.

Then the world welcomed the Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) drug that if taken within 72 hours after a possible exposure to the virus - like after rape or pricks with contaminated needles - greatly minimises the risk of infection.

Compared to the above two regimens which ‘work’ on the virus after people have already been exposed to it, PrEP - the new kid on the block - is primed to fight the virus before people come into contact with it.

“We are glad that we now have a drug that will prevent HIV negative people from getting the disease in the first place,” Dr Sirengo tells the Business Daily.

He says the drug will complement other existing HIV prevention interventions in the country such as the condom use and voluntary medical male circumcision.

“There’s no single intervention that’s enough to get us to where we want to go in terms of ending the HIV epidemic. So we have to use a mix of prevention and treatment strategies.”

Once it is rolled out, Dr Masyuko says that PrEP will be administered free of charge in all public hospitals by health specialists who based on their risk assessment, will determine suitable candidates for the prevention drug.

“This is a prescription drug. So it won’t be something that people can just get over the counter at a chemist.”

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