UGANDA: Drug shortages raise resistance risk

Photo: Julius Mwelu/IRIN

Gulu District last received TB drugs in January

GULU, 16 April 2009 (PlusNews) - People living with HIV in Uganda's northern region are facing critical shortages of essential medicines.

Dr Paul Onek, director of health services in Gulu District, said supplies of malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and antiretroviral (ARV) drugs had all run out.
"We last received TB drugs in January for only 400 TB patients."

More than 2,000 TB patients in the district have started a six-month course of TB treatment, and an estimated 1,300 HIV-positive patients receive their regular monthly supply of ARVs from Gulu's largest hospital.

Interruption of either HIV or TB treatment can lead to the development of resistant strains of these diseases, which are much more difficult to treat and require costly second-line drugs.

"Some patients under TB treatment are on expired drugs; even HIV-positive patients suffering from malaria have to buy drugs from clinics in town," said Angelo Ojera, the HIV focal point in Gulu District.

One patient waiting at a local hospital told IRIN/PlusNews she only had drugs for one month and was anxious about getting a refill: "We pray that the drugs come in time, otherwise our health will deteriorate; I am worried."

Poor management of the drug supply chain regularly causes shortages of essential medicines in Uganda.

The government has blamed the current shortage of TB medication in many parts of the country on delays in the disbursement of money from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The health ministry has purchased drugs from neighbouring Kenya as a stop-gap measure and the recent opening of a local drug manufacturing plant is expected to improve the supply of ARVs.

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