{"id":42894,"date":"2023-04-12T18:18:59","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T18:18:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/new-hiv-medicine-for-children-saves-more-lives"},"modified":"2023-04-12T18:56:22","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T18:56:22","slug":"new-hiv-medicine-for-children-saves-more-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/new-hiv-medicine-for-children-saves-more-lives","title":{"rendered":"New HIV Medicine for Children Saves More Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>JOHN* plays quietly on the floor as his caregiver looks on proudly. Healthy and growing, John is the perfect example of a thriving three-year-old.<\/p>\n

This, however, was not always the case. John was infected with HIV at birth, and despite being put on the HIV treatment available at the time, the virus was not suppressed in his body.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time we visited the clinic for a check-up, I would cry,\u201d his caregiver explained, \u201cI was giving him his medicine, but it wasn\u2019t working. I didn\u2019t know what I was doing wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the older HIV medicines are less pleasant to take, as well as being less effective than newer medicines at controlling HIV. This means that even with medication, children are not able to fight and suppress the virus in their body.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, in July 2021, the Ministry of Health and Social Services introduced new HIV medicines for young children. The medicines contain a product called dolutegravir (also known as \u201cDTG\u201d), which studies show is more effective for treating HIV, less likely to cause side effects, easier to take and better tasting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe effect was almost instantaneous,\u201d John\u2019s caregiver said, \u201cBy taking this medicine, John quickly got the virus under control. Now when I visit the clinic, I am singing and dancing.\u201d<\/p>\n

John\u2019s health rapidly improved after starting his DTG medication, and his success story is one of over 11,700 across Namibia.<\/p>\n

In just one year, the Ministry of Health and Social Services has ensured that all eligible HIV-positive children and adolescents in the country have access to this medicine.<\/p>\n

The introduction of this new medicine to Namibia has been achieved through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and partners such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through funding from the United States (U.S.) President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).<\/p>\n

The U.S. Government has partnered with the Ministry of Health and Social Services throughout the entire process, from the initial procurement of the medicines to the development of educational materials and training, while also including intensive technical assistance during the rollout to the public.<\/p>\n

\u201cProviding DTG-based medicines for children and adolescents living with HIV is life-changing. Children deserve the best chance to live long, healthy and happy lives, and through support from the U.S. Government, we have done our part to help achieve this for a critical group of young people in Namibia,\u201d CDC Namibia Country Director, Dr. Brian Baker, said.<\/p>\n

Collaborative goals between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the U.S. Government to strengthen HIV care and treatment for children and adolescents in 2023 include: training more healthcare providers on how to explain to children why they take medicine and how important it is to take each day; continued support for older HIV-positive adolescents to take a leadership role to support other HIV positive children and adolescents; and starting support groups for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents living with HIV to better provide them with the support they need.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. JOHN* plays quietly on the floor as his caregiver looks on proudly. Healthy and growing, John is the perfect example of a thriving three-year-old. This, however, was not always the case. John was infected with HIV at birth, and despite being put on the HIV treatment available at the time, the virus […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":42892,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[234,236,233],"class_list":["post-42894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-namibia","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\nNew HIV Medicine for Children Saves More Lives - Namibia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"JOHN* plays quietly on the floor as his caregiver looks on proudly. 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