Plans in place to track and trace TB and HIV patients missing out on meds
Treatment interruption could lead to drug resistance and increased vulnerability to opportunistic infections.
Gauteng’s health department has developed and is implementing a track and trace plan to locate the approximately 1 090 TB and 10 950 HIV patients who have failed to collect their medication since lockdown began on March 27.
A statement released by the department read, ‘This brings the average percentage reduction in medicine collections for TB to 1.4 percent and 19.6 percent for HIV.’
Health department spokesperson Kwara Kekana explained, “This has exacerbated the loss-to-follow-up rate of TB and HIV patients which has remained a challenge nationally since the beginning of the health programmes owing to a number of factors such as high mobility and incorrect and unreliable addresses due to fear of stigma around TB and HIV.”
Treatment interruption could subsequently cause drug resistance and a deterioration in patients’ health. “Patients who do not comply with treatment remain vulnerable and may be susceptible to other opportunistic infections, Covid-19 being one,” said Kekana.
In addition to being vulnerable to other viruses, clinicians may have difficulty managing patients with unsuppressed viral loads if treatment is interrupted. There is a possibility that these patients may end up developing complications such as Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome and others, added Kekana.
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