Over 94pc HIV patients access drugs

Rwanda is one of the few countries where almost every person living with HIV/AIDS has easy access to antiretroviral treatment (ART), a senior official has said. In an interview with The New Times, the head of the HIV/AIDS Division at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, said an eligibility criterion is followed when giving out the antiretroviral drugs. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the country is presently at 3.1 percent among 15-49 age groups. About 100,000 people are receiving antiretroviral drugs.“Before people looked at HIV/AIDS as a death sentence, but with the various approaches such as antiretroviral treatment, that mindset has changed. However, not everyone living with HIV/AIDS can be given the antiretroviral treatment. Several tests are supposed to be carried out to determine the state of the patient before starting the treatment,” Nsanzimana explained. “Through the Network of people living with HIV/AIDS, support and treatment is easily accessed. It’s easier to do follow up if it’s being coordinated through a network,” he disclosed.

National

Over 94pc HIV patients access drugs