Chioma Umeha
Experts have stressed the need for the Federal
Government to restore free baseline evaluations, noting that this will promote
effective access to Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for People Living With HIV
(PLWH).
Some of the experts who spoke were those from the
National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NASCAP).
They were making presentations at the opening of a
two-day communication strategic review workshop by Journalists Alliance for
Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV (JAPiN) in Lagos state,
recently.
According to them, the goals of the initial
evaluation are to confirm the diagnosis of HIV infection, obtain appropriate
baseline historical and laboratory data, ensure PLWH understanding about HIV
infection and its transmission.
Others are to initiate care as recommended in HIV
primary care guidelines and guidelines for prevention and treatment of
HIV-associated opportunistic infections.
Research has shown that every HIV-infected person
entering into care should have a complete medical history, physical
examination, and laboratory evaluation and should be counseled regarding the
implications of HIV infection.
The experts further said that the initial
evaluation also should include introductory discussion on the benefits of
antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the PLWH health and to prevent HIV
transmission.
According to them, “Baseline information then can
be used to define management goals and plans.
“In the case of previously treated PLWH who
present for an initial evaluation with a new health care provider, it is
critical to obtain a complete antiretroviral (ARV) history – including drug resistance
testing results, if available, preferably through the review of past medical
records.
“Newly diagnosed persons living with HIV should also be asked about any prior use of
ARV agents for prevention of HIV infection.”
They reasoned that many of the PLWH cannot afford
cost of transportation more
so the charges for baseline investigations which
is between N5,000 and N6,000.
The experts therefore urged the Federal Government
and donors, specifically the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR) to make baseline investigations for HIV free.
“Nigerian government and the US PEPFAR should look into the idea of
bringing back free baseline investigations before starting new PLWH on ARV
drugs. Many of them cannot afford cost of transportation talk less of paying
for baseline investigations that amount to about N5,000 and N6,000,” NASCAP said.
According to the experts, one of the reasons new
Persons Living With HIV do not start ART is due to lack of fund for the payment
of baseline investigations.
Corroborating these views, Dr. Sunday Aboje,
National Coordinator, National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NASCAP), in a
related development said that baseline investigations and effectiveness of ARV
drugs usage is critical to the elimination of Mother to Child transmission
(eMTCT).
Aboje stated that currently, 380,000 children are
HIV positive in the country and added that the country is committed to the goal
of eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers
alive by 2020.
The National Coordinator, who spoke recently at
JAPiN strategic meeting in Calabar, Cross River state was optimistic that there
is a renewed hope of viral suppression that would provide the potency to stop
further transmission as a prevention tool while prolonging the lives of the
infected persons.
Dr Aboje, who was represented by Assistant Chief
Scientific Officer of the agency, Taiwo Olakunle, stressed that free baseline
investigations coupled with improved access of ARV drugs would fast-track the
achievement of e-MTCT goals.
“The country has come a long way in its effort to
control the HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly in PMTCT. Beginning with the
pioneer 11 PMTCT-provider tertiary health facilities in 2002, the country now
has 7,265 health facilities providing PMTCT services at all levels of the
health care system.”
Aboje, however, stated that Nigeria’s target on
eliminating new HIV cases in children among other things for 2018 was to ensure
50 per cent of HIV-exposed children have access to HIV prophylaxis treatment
and early infant diagnosis services.
He also identified inadequate political
commitment, and funding at federal, state and LGA levels as well as weak health
infrastructure as some challenges against eliminating new HIV cases in
children. Prompt release of 100 percent budget for AIDS control, prevention,
and treatment for the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)
would make a difference in the lives of people living with the disease, Dr.
Aboje stressed.
In a related development, Mrs. Kadiri Oluseyi,
Executive Director, Centre for Positive Health Organisation, Lagos State under
the platform of Abidjan – Lagos – Corridor, tasked government to increase
funding for child HIV elimination programmes.
Oluseyi called on government to support People
Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
partners working on HIV awareness in line with the global campaign for safer
motherhood and HIV-free babies.
According to her, support from the government
through increased funding and access to anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs will help
to ameliorate the challenges of PLWHA, especially pregnant mothers and help in
actualising the eMTCT of HIV.
Oluseyi spoke when members of Journalists Alliance
for Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV in Nigeria (JAPiN), Lagos
state Chapter made the special investigative visit to the office of
Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organisation, in Badagry General Hospital, Lagos, recently.
