MBABANE:Dr Clara Nyapokoto, the National HIV/AIDS Program Officer in the Ministry of Health has written to various health institutions, informing about the shortage of Antiretroviral Therapy(ART) drugs also known as Antiretroviral(ARVs).
This is contained in a leaked email where the Program Officer was communicating about the status of drugs supply, the stocktaking report was communicated to Dr Clara on Friday last week.
ART refers to the treatment for HIV using a combination of antiretroviral drugs and these drugs, also called antiretrovirals or ARVs, are taken daily or according to a schedule to keep the virus at a very low level in the body, allowing the immune system to repair itself and preventing further damage.
But Dr Clara Nyapokoto received the update report at the time when “the Government is misleading the public about the seriousness of the health crisis”, claiming drugs were being delivered.
“Thank you for the stock status report sent so far. CMS promised to deliver to the 2 regions that have not yet received stock-Hhohho and Manzini. I think from our calculations, all clients should receive a one-month supply of TLE or TLD until we receive stock. We will be sending out a Memo next week guiding on how patients on TLE should be managed becuse the current stock expires end of July 2025 and the other order is still pending”, reads the email in part.
Efforts to reach Khanya Mabuza,the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Health proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Monday morning, Mayibongwe Masagwane, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) confirmed the shortage of drugs in public hospitals.
“The situation is really deteriorating, there are no drugs in public hospitals but on the ARVs part, patients used to receive drugs to be used for at least three(3) months. But now, they are receiving drugs for only one(1) month as the situation worsens,” said the Nurses Union Secretary General.
REVEALED:New HIV infections looming as Eswatini faces shortage of ARVs amid worsening health crisis, leaked Ministry of Health emails exposes Dr Clara Nyapokoto communicating deteriorating situation.