The ManicaPost
Catherine Murombedzi Health Correspondent —
ENDING Aids by 2030 appears achievable when taking a closer look at some of the indicators. Matabeleland region as a whole that is Mat South, Mat North and Bulawayo have reached suppressed viral load for people living with HIV.
What is suppressed viral load, one would need to know. When one tests HIV positive and is placed on life-long anti-retroviral therapy to suppress the replication of the virus, when a load test is done after say taking medication correctly for two years, then that person must have a suppressed viral load. This means that the medication is working well and when one takes a rapid HIV test, they test negative.
This does not mean they are HIV negative, it means the virus has been suppressed to undetectable levels. That means an undetectable viral load means treatment is working well. When treatment works well and one has a suppressed viral load the chances of that person passing on the HIV virus are minimal. A suppressed viral load means chances of passing on the HIV virus become very low.
Matabeleland Region has achieved that and the viral load stands at 92 percent. It means of the people on ARVs, 90 percent of them who are on medication will have an undetectable viral load when tested.
An ambitious programme the 90, 90, 90 states that 90 percent of the population has to know their HIV status, Of the people who are tested if found to be HIV positive, 90 percent have to get treatment. Of these on treatment, 90 percent have to have a suppressed viral load.
National Aids Council’s Monitoring and Evaluation Director, Mr Amon Mpofu, speaking in Gweru last week, said the region had achieved a suppressed viral load.
“Matabeleland Region has achieved a suppressed viral load and this is applauded. It means people on ART are adhering to medication and this is seen by a suppressed viral load,” said Mr Mpofu.
Matabeleland Region has achieved a suppressed viral load in the people living with HIV and on medication. What could be the key behind this achievement?
Basically most people in the region work in neighbouring countries, in Botswana, South Africa or Namibia.
It is proved that spousal separation leads to extra-marital affairs in some people. Long distance relationships have challenges and we find that the rate of positivity is high in heterosexuals.
Matabeleland Region has most spouses in long distance relationships. Those living positively and are on medication have achieved a suppressed viral load. Since a person with a suppressed viral load has minimal chances of passing the HIV virus, this is good news for the region. The rate of new infections will come down in the near future.
So speaking from the Matabeleland aspect of suppressed viral load, and the second 90 having been achieved also that those testing HIV positive are on treatment we find that the ambitious programme of ending AIDS by 2030 becomes a hopeful reality on the horizon.
In the coming year as a country we aim to close the tap on new HIV infections and a suppressed viral load is one of the ways of achieving this.
In 2015, 54 000 were infected with the HIV virus in the country. The advent of ART has seen people living with HIV living normal lives and longer too.
National director of Aids and TB in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Owen Mugurungi, said the survival rate for people initiated on ART nationally was pleasing as it stands at 80 percent.
“People initiated on ART during the last two years show a survival rate of 80 percent. For those who were initiated when the ART programme was rolled out in 2004 stands at 70 percent,” he said.
Taking a closer look at those initiated in 2004, 70 percent of them are still living testimony of the success of ART.
With the test and treat which was launched in 2016, we are most likely to have more people getting on treatment before they are ill.
The beauty of test and treat is that a person gets medication before they are ill. However, most people get to know their HIV status when they are already ill and ART comes in to restore the lost health by boasting their immunity. With the test and treat, this could be a thing of the past.
Dr Mugurungi said the challenge was that most patients reported to hospitals when they were very ill. Most of them reported with TB and when tested for HIV they were found to have a co-infection.
The challenge with people who report to hospitals when very ill and having TB and being HIV positive, is to place them on TB and HIV medication at once. This medication is usually heavy for the very sick person so the medical personnel weigh and place the patient on TB treatment first with ART following soon when the person shows signs of managing the highly active medications.
In 2017, we all work towards closing the taps of new HIV infections. It is possible, it begins with you and me.
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