BY: ELIZABETH MERAB and WINNIE ATIENO
About 69,000 children born to HIV-positive mothers risk getting infected due to a shortage of some antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).
The drugs are given as prophylaxis in syrup form to such newborns to prevent them from contracting the virus. They also reduce the amount of virus in the body.
Medical personnel at several public hospitals who spoke to the Nation on the condition of anonymity said the shortage began about four months ago.
They said the situation is dire, and that if no intervention is made urgently, things could turn disastrous. The administration of ARVs to newborns without HIV is meant to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission (perinatal acquisition). Read more…
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