Relief for HIV patients as Kenya-US sort ARVs impasse

For six long dangerous months, Aids patients and people living with HIV have been suffering for lack of ARV drugs.

The were stuck at the Port of Mombasa since January in a dispute between Kenya and the US over payment of a Sh90 million tax bill, distribution and other issues. The problems have been sorted but details were not immediately known.

The National Aids Control Council said on Tuesday the ARV problems have been resolved.

The National AIDS & STI Control Programme (Nascop) CEO Dr Ruth Laibon-Masha said in a statement a committee working on the problem had reached an agreement.

“The committee convened by NACC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council)held a series of meetings with US representatives where all outstanding issues were resolved. The resolutions include the signing of a framework and implementation letter to facilitate tax and fee waivers, and distribution of the USAID-purchased commodities," the statement said.

Masha said the commodities had been cleared and were ready for distribution.

That's great news for many people.

John Mathenge runs clinics in Pangani and Nyeri.

He distributes ARVs free of charge. Previously, he would get stock to last four to six months, but now he gets only a one-month's supply.

When the stock comes, it is barely enough as it runs out even before some patients get their refill.

Since November last year, he has not received any testing kits.

Mathenge on Monday joined people living with HIV during a peaceful demonstration in Nairobi to push the government to address the drugs shortage.

For the past six months, patients have had to survive on rationed drugs. Kaletra, a sweetened ARV drug for children, is no longer available.

This has forced mothers to share their drugs with their children, a dangerous practice.

“If you give your drug to the child even if it is half, it is stronger than the dosage a child should get. The drugs might affect the child in the long run because you are giving them something they are not supposed to be getting,” Levi Knowles, an HIV activist said.

They threatened to go on a hunger strike until the government ends the shortage of ARVs.

“Six months they have put the drugs in the store, what is the expiry date? We are talking about rural areas where people don’t have drugs,” Mathenge said.

“In some areas people are still getting half doses. Let them bring the drugs. No child should miss a dose because that is crime against humanity to the young children," he said.

Patients have in the past demanded the drugs be released immediately to NGOs and faith-based organisations.

“There are no testing kits in the labs so we can’t even test viral load. How can you survive when you can’t even have viral load tested? It is the time of Covid, people living with HIV at this time are more at risk if they are not on ARVs.”

The current shortage began in January when Pepfar-USAID delivered to Kenya ARVs and diagnostics worth Sh1.1 billion through a private company, Chemonics International, and refused to pay a Sh90 million tax bill.

(Edited by V. Graham)