The Ghana Network of Persons Living with HIV (NAP+ Ghana) has expressed worry over the shortage of Anti-Retroviral medication specifically ABACAVIR LAMIVUDINE regimen for Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) across the country.
According to the group, the ABACAVIR LAMIVUDINE is one of the many regimens that Persons Living with HIV need daily to attain viral suppression, keep healthy and productive and in so doing, enable our Country Ghana to reduce new HIV infections and end AIDS by 2030.
NAP+ Ghana in a press statement dated October 5 revealed that persons with HIV across the country reported a shortage of ABACAVIR LAMIVUDINE but were promised of receiving some in July this year.
“Our members across Ghana reported a shortage of the adult dose of ABACAVIR LAMIVUDINE in August this year. At that time we received information from reliable sources that Antiretroviral medication among other health commodities had arrived at the harbour in July this year and awaited Tax waiver from the Ministry of Finance. The anti-retroviral medication had been bought with donor funds and at no cost to the Country and should not attract tax”.
“Meanwhile, they are being held until AU TAX, ECOWAS TAX and COVID TAX are paid before we can access our medication.
There is a shortage of life-saving Abacavir/Lamivudine for adults. Just yesterday, we received alarming information from our members that their medication has been switched to TENOFOVIR LAMIVUDINE DOLUTEGRAVIR (TLD) regimen”.
“Of utmost concern is that some persons who are put on Abacavir/Lamivudine which is stuck at the harbour, are persons who had kidney and liver problems while on the TLD regimen.
One of our members has not been on medication for 4 months due to a shortage of Abacavir/Lamivudine in her facility.
Our investigations revealed that in some facilities, prescribers give Abacavir/Lamivudine medication meant for children to adults”.
“Therefore, instead of one tablet a day, they have to take five tablets in the morning and five tablets in the evening, of the children’s dose. What we are heading to is the build-up of resistance to ARV by our community of PLHIVs, an increase in kidney and liver problems or until the taxes are waived, our cherished members and all persons living with HIV on the said short regimen are on forced medication break… which can spell doom”, the press statement stated.
Subsequently, the Network of Persons Living with HIV appealed to the government for an immediate waiver of all taxes and release of medications at the harbour.
The Ghana Aids Commission’s data for 2022 shows that there are a total number of 354,927 persons in the country who are HIV positive, a 2.7% increase from the previous years.
This is reflected in the regional distributions, with the Greater Accra Region having the most cases.