Bugisu runs out of AIDS medicine
Sep 24, 2009
THE shortage of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) is straining the operations of The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) in the Bugisu, the Mbale acting centre manager, Kimera Mutebi Boogere, has said.
By Daniel Edyegu
THE shortage of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) is straining the operations of The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) in the Bugisu, the Mbale acting centre manager, Kimera Mutebi Boogere, has said.
Speaking during the TASO annual general meeting on Saturday, Boogere said the centre receives an increasing number of clients.
“We have over 8,000 active clients, out of whom 2,759 are on ARVs which are irregularly supplied. This is risky as it makes the virus gain resistance to the drugs. We now refer patients to the AIDS Information Centre.â€
TASO mainly receives supplies from the Centres for Disease Control, donor organisations and the Government.
Boogere said many child clients face difficulty in getting the drugs as most of them have no parents, or live with elderly guardians in rural areas.
He said men comprise 35% of the clientele and the rest are hesitant to go for voluntary counselling and testing.
Boogere said the organisation had initiated the Positive Men’s Union to mobilise and educate men on HIV/AIDS.
“Most women contract HIV through sexual intercourse. It is puzzling why most men are not willing to know their status. In some cases, we write invitation letters to husbands of women diagnosed with HIV for joint counselling but in vain,†he said.
THE shortage of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) is straining the operations of The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) in the Bugisu, the Mbale acting centre manager, Kimera Mutebi Boogere, has said.
Speaking during the TASO annual general meeting on Saturday, Boogere said the centre receives an increasing number of clients.
“We have over 8,000 active clients, out of whom 2,759 are on ARVs which are irregularly supplied. This is risky as it makes the virus gain resistance to the drugs. We now refer patients to the AIDS Information Centre.â€
TASO mainly receives supplies from the Centres for Disease Control, donor organisations and the Government.
Boogere said many child clients face difficulty in getting the drugs as most of them have no parents, or live with elderly guardians in rural areas.
He said men comprise 35% of the clientele and the rest are hesitant to go for voluntary counselling and testing.
Boogere said the organisation had initiated the Positive Men’s Union to mobilise and educate men on HIV/AIDS.
“Most women contract HIV through sexual intercourse. It is puzzling why most men are not willing to know their status. In some cases, we write invitation letters to husbands of women diagnosed with HIV for joint counselling but in vain,†he said.