Crisis as Millions of Terminally Sick Patients Miss Vital Medication

Kenyan public health facilities, including laboratories, registered a backlog of samples for vital HIV tests, some conducted nearly two years ago. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a viral load (VL) test is done to determine the amount of HIV in one’s blood.

A low or undetectable viral load means there is very little HIV in the blood, as such, the virus may fail to replicate, thus causing less disease transition. 

As the world looks forward to marking World Aids Day on Thursday, December 1, HIV patients pleaded with the government to ensure that public hospital laboratories are stocked with viral load test reagents.

Journalists and police officers pictured at the entrance of the Kenyatta National Hospital on August 25, 2021.

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While addressing the National Leadership Summit of People Living with HIV in Nairobi, patients expressed fear for the future.

A majority confirmed that they could not get their VL test done due to the backlog and the high costs of the operation. The VL tests reportedly cost between Ksh10,000 to Ksh20,000

These delays have caused most patients to live without knowing the risk of the aggressive state of the virus. Some resorted to seeking the same services at private hospitals, where they are paying a lot of money.

“I am not able to have the test done in the government facilities in Homa Bay and Migori counties.

“In one of the private hospitals, I was told it would cost Ksh10,000. I don’t have the money,” one patient confirmed.

A doctor carrying out tests at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

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Public facilities were also accused of lacking the required reagents for the test. Patients living with HIV depend on government-funded institutions to test their viral load.

“I have been taking my drugs diligently, but they seem not to work because I have been ill for the past two months.

“My doctor recommended that I go for a viral load test to determine the problem,” one patient claimed. 

The Director of the Nelson Mandela TB HIV Community-Based Organisation, Erick Okioma, pleaded with the government to implement systems and structures to ensure that patients are well taken care of.

“Before one is placed on any drugs once they have tested positive, then we need to test and get to know their viral load and which drug to give them. We are missing our target without this test,” Okioma confirmed.