01.02.2022
Improving HIV treatment in rural Lesotho
SolidarMed and Swiss TPH, together with the Seboche Mission Hospital in rural Lesotho, introduced a new testing procedure in 2021. It enables to improve healthcare for people affected by HIV in rural areas. The SolidarMed-supported laboratory is the first to date to use such tests in HIV treatment in rural Lesotho.
HIV resistance tests help doctors to choose the best possible treatment for HIV patients. photo provided
Treatment of HIV requires good adherence to therapy in order to provide optimal control of the virus. If, based on the condition of the person affected by HIV, the treating physician is concerned that the current medication may not be the right one, genotypic HIV resistance tests are used. These are used to distinguish whether the treatment failure is due to inadequate adherence to therapy or resistance to treatments. Whereas in the last case, therapy adjustment would be necessary.
This HIV resistance test is an important tool to assist physicians in selecting the best possible treatment for each individual HIV patient. The test helps to adjust ineffective therapies and at the same time to avoid unnecessary therapy adjustments. This can also save costs.
The introduction of the test last year enabled an improvement in healthcare for HIV-infected people in rural areas of Lesotho. Thanks to this development, the SolidarMed-supported laboratory is the first to offer this service to patients in these remote areas of Lesotho.
The SolidarMed-supported laboratory at Seboche Hospital is the first to date to use resistance testing in HIV treatment in rural Lesotho. photo provided
Furthermore, by introducing the testing procedure in rural Lesotho, not only can research on HIV be deepened, but also the lifelong treatment of people affected by HIV in rural areas of Lesotho can be improved.
With your support, it will continue to be possible to offer such genotypic HIV resistance tests free of charge to those affected, thereby improving HIV treatment options in rural Lesotho. Increasing the quality of health services improves the quality of life of patients and helps them to better support themselves and their families.
