WHO finds over 70 countries at risk of running out of HIV drugs due to COVID-19 pandemic

World Health Organisation has revealed that 70 countries are at risk of running out HIV drugs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As per a recent survey, 24 nations out of the total have confirmed having “critically low” stock of antiretroviral medicine (ARV) used in HIV treatment. In addendum, these countries have also reportedly confirmed experiencing disruptions in the supply chain since the pandemic started.

The COVID-19 pandemic has now spiralled out to infect over 11,520,000 people worldwide as per the latest tally by John Hopkins University. Meanwhile, talking about the shortage of HIV drugs, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement, called the survey's findings "deeply concerning".  

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“Countries and their development partners must do all they can to ensure that people who need HIV treatment continue to access it. We cannot let the COVID-19 pandemic undo the hard-won gains in the global response to this disease,” Ghebreyesus added. 

Major causes 

In May, WHO and Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS estimated that AIDS-related deaths could just double due to six months of disruption in the supply of antiretroviral medication. Worsening their fear, the coronavirus pandemic caused a global shutdown of imports and exports.

Closure of transportation, failure of supplies to deliver the medication, limited access to healthcare made up the major causes of HIV drug disruption, the survey stated.  

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Last week, WHO revealed that it was halting the trials for combinations of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine and HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir that aimed to find a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19. According to reports, the WHO decided to stop testing these drugs after they did not show an improvement in the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients.

WHO in a statement said, "These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients when compared to the standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect."

Read: HIV Drug Combo Found To Have No Benefit For Hospitalised COVID-19 Patients In UK Trial

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