Nearly a quarter of Rwanda’s population living with HIV is now aged 50 and above, according to data from the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). As such, experts have argued that though antiretroviral therapy has transformed HIV into a manageable chronic condition, additional interventions are needed to support older people who face unique challenges like non-communicable diseases. ALSO READ: Why Rwanda is beefing-up support for people aging with HIV Dr. Basile Ikuzo, Director of the HIV Prevention Unit at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), confirmed that Rwanda’s HIV epidemic is aging. He cited findings from the 2019 Rwanda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (RPHIA), which showed that HIV prevalence peaked at 7.4 percent among women aged 50-54 and 6.5 percent among men aged 55-59, significantly higher than in younger adults. “This is largely because of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART),” he explained, noting that as people grow older, they face challenges including NCDs, social isolation and stigma. Alphonse Mbarushimana, Executive Director of Rwanda Non-communicable Diseases Alliance, told The New Times that older people living with both HIV and NCDs require services for both conditions at the same time. ALSO READ: Rwanda welcomes news of HIV preventive drug to be offered at low cost He urged that there is a need for co-location and co-scheduling of such services, so that the patients don’t have to travel to different locations on different days. The organisation he leads has played a role in supporting health facilities to train nurses so that a single healthcare worker can manage both HIV and NCD care. “There was a time when more attention was given to HIV alone, and aspects of NCD care were overlooked. Now it is crucial to train more staff to handle both conditions,” he said. ALSO READ: Govt reassures HIV patients as external funding ends Mbarushimana also highlighted the vulnerabilities of older adults living with both HIV and NCDs, noting that they spend more time seeking healthcare and less time on healthy lifestyles, such as exercise or a balanced diet. He called for financial support and home-based care, particularly because, despite the fact that HIV treatment is often supplied in six-month ARV packages, NCD care usually requires more frequent management.
