Allafrica.com
While the country and the world at large are still grappling with HIV/AIDS, there is a growing misconception that the use of Anti Retroviral (ARVs) drugs stops transmission of the deadly virus.
We believe if left unchecked, this mistaken belief may jeopardise the success recorded so far in the combat against HIV/ AIDS. Although some scientific studies show ARVs reduce the chances of passing over the virus to others, the proof is not 100 per cent.
The drugs’ alleged ability for a sustained halt of AIDS progression is, therefore, still highly questionable. It should be understood that anti-retrovirals are not a cure. The drugs only work to slow down the progression of the disease so that an HIV positive person can live longer without the onset of AIDS and other opportunistic infections and diseases.
According to health experts, ARVs control the replication process of the virus, which attacks human’s immune system.
In other words the drugs are capable of reducing viral load in the bloodstream thus give the immune system a chance to recover… and as the viral load goes down, the number of CD4 cells increases as a result the viral load can become undetectable.
However, undetectable does not mean the virus has gone. According to medical experts that only means that the amount of virus in the blood of an HIV positive person is too small to be measured. However, chances for such a person to infect others are still big.
That’s why people on ARVs need to take the drugs every day for the rest of their lives. One can’t miss any tablets because the virus can quickly get out of control, and become resistant to treatment.
Dr Tumaini Nagu of the Muhimbili University for Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) was yesterday quoted by the ‘Sunday News’ saying that ARVs usage was for life and underscored the need to get the people informed, to clear up the misconception.
The most important thing is for people on ARVs to understand that taking the drugs will not cure their infection but may allow them to stay healthy for a long time.
It is therefore their moral duty to protect those who are not infected. Therefore, people, whether on ARVs on not, must always take precautions, especially because the disease has no cure so far.
That means once one gets the virus, it is there to stay. Prevention, thus, remains the only cure… and the only way through which people can outsmart the deadly virus.