Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has reduced the prevalence of drug resistant HIV, which was higher than World Health Organisation acceptable levels.
In 2018, the WHO found levels of pre-treatment HIV drug resistance (HIV DR) above 10 percent among those initiating first-line of anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
By December 2020, there were over one million people on ART from 11 000 in 2004 and currently 91 percent of facilities offer ART services, while overall ART coverage stands at 93 percent.
Defaulting on treatment has been identified as the leading cause of HIV DR.
HIV DR refers to the ability HIV viruses to continue multiplying despite the presence of drugs that usually kill them.
It is caused by changes in the virus’ genetic structure and these are common in HIV because HIV viruses replicate at an extremely rapid rate.
If someone has developed resistance to one or more of these HIV drugs and has unprotected sex or shares needles with someone who is not infected with the virus, it is possible that they can infect their partner with a drug-resistant variant strain of HIV containing mutations that can cause resistance.
A report on HIV DR from the National Aids Council shows that the country had phased out Niverapine for HIV treatment based on the HIV DR survey findings.
“Periodic HIV DR surveys are done to monitor HIV DR in Zimbabwe and a recent survey showed that Zimbabwe has reached moderate levels of HIV DR in ART-naïve patients of 9,4 percent as specified by the WHO classification.
These levels may impact the ability to achieve viral suppression in a significant number of patients initiating standard ART regimens in Zimbabwe,” said Nac.
“This led the country to adopt the WHO 2019 and 2020 ART guidelines where Dolutegravir (DTG) is indicated for first line, second line and third line for all populations, including children, adolescents and women of child-bearing age.
DTG is known to have a high genetic barrier to developing ARV drug resistance (HIV viruses cannot develop resistance to it easily),” read the report.
Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro said: “The anxiety we are experiencing from Covid-19 is not totally different from that we experienced when HIV was first identified. Despite that, we managed to intervene on time and built a resilient response to HIV for which our country has been recognised as a best practice.
“People should know that there is HIV drug resistance and adhere to their medication. Scientists are making great strides in improving the medicines as PLHIV used to take 3 ART drugs per day and now they have been reduced to 3 in 1 pill. Research is being done in trying to make it easier for them.
There should be effective communication such that people know the importance of taking ART drugs on time so as to maintain drug level as well as spreading information to others.” — @thamamoe
Online Reporter