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Access to HIV treatment in Guyana
Kaieteur News – A diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) the virus that causes AIDS can be devastating to anyone. It is however not the end of the world, because there are many people who are HIV positive and are leading normal lives, thanks to breakthrough research and medication.
Adequate care and medicine are essential to successfully treat HIV. HIV Treatment or antiretroviral therapy (ART) involves taking medicine as prescribed by a health care provider.
While there is still no cure for the virus that causes AIDS, HIV medicine can make the viral load very low (called viral suppression). HIV treatment reduces the amount of HIV in your body and helps you stay healthy.
In Guyana, the introduction of Pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly called PrEP, is available for anyone who may need it.
Over the past 20 years, Guyana has worked industriously to reduce new HIV infections by more than half. While Guyana, like several other countries, had missed the UN 2020 90-90-90 targets, the country had re-committed to the UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy, which aspires to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
At present, seventy-three (73) percent who are aware of their HIV status in Guyana are on treatment and, almost nine out of every ten of these are virally suppressed.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony in an interview prior to World AIDS Day observed annually on December 4, said that PrEP was used in the past to help couples affected by the Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) is now open to other persons affected by the virus.
He said: “two years ago PrEP was only used in discordant couples, meaning that if a couple are together, one of them is HIV positive, the other one is not then they would have given PrEP to the person who is not infected, but we have changed that, because the WHO recommendation now is for any person who perceives themselves to be at risk for HIV can access pre-exposure prophylaxis.”
According to Dr. Anthony, there are some minor requirements to accessing this treatment, based on a person’s medical background in relation to certain other diseases and medication that they may currently be taking.
Self- testing
Self-testing for HIV is also a new initiative that has made it easier for persons in Guyana to know their HIV status.
“With self-testing, you can do that at home, you get the kit, you do that at home so you are aware of what your test shows, whether it’s positive or negative. If it’s positive, then you can come in verify it at one of our testing sites, and get linked to getting treatment, because if it’s positive then we will want to put you on treatment as quickly as possible so that self-testing is something new that we have introduced,” the health minister said.
Minister Anthony noted that while more people are opting for self-testing, there are now 30 voluntary counseling and testing sites available in Guyana.
These also cater to other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
“This would give people an update on HIV treatment and various aspects of HIV Treatment, whether it’s the new antiretrovirals that are out, to be used in patients, how they work, what regimens that we have, that particular lecture will be done by an expert from the Mayo Clinic who is coming in to do that particular lecture,” the Health Minister said.
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