“ART is a lifelong treatment. You have to take medicine every day, you have to be tireless, you have to take these medicines relentlessly every day, and some patients experience drug fatigue. They end up having a certain disdain for these drugs and they also face a lot of stigma because of HIV,” says Dr Wangui Kamau, an infectious disease specialist at Kenyatta Hospital in Kenya.
“Sometimes it’s not because other people know (of their diagnosis) but because of how they themselves feel regarding living with the virus,” he continues.
Over the years, advances in medicine have allowed people to have more choices when it comes to prevention and treatment. Among these is the cabotegravir long-acting injection, used for the prevention and treatment of HIV.
African countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda have approved the use of this injectable drug. According to scientists, this drug might help improve patient adherence to treatment because it is easy to use.
“I am very happy to switch from PrEP pills to injectables. It’s a great development, because with the PrEP pills, I have to remember that today I have to take the pills with me. I work in a mobile clinic, sometimes I come home very late and still have to take my PrEP pills”says Khanyiswa Kwatsha, a patient who takes the PrEP pill.
“Now I know the injectable treatment is in my body, I move with the injection instead of walking with the noise of the pills. So, yes, I am very happy”she rejoices.
While advances in medicine have improved the lives of HIV-positive people, UNAIDS reports that inequalities are causing new infections to rise and people continue to die because they lack access to the prevention and treatment services they need.
About 38 million people were living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at the end of 2021, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the organization, more than 18 million people are on lifelong HIV treatment worldwide, but an almost equal number of patients do not have access to treatment.
