Kenya assures it has enough ARVs for children

The Ministry of Health has assured that it has adequate stocks of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) for Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in public health facilities.

In a statement, Health CS Sicily Kariuki Friday refuted reports in a section of the press that about 69,000 children born to HIV-positive mothers risk getting infected due to a shortage of some antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).

The report in one of the local dailies quoted medical personnel at several public hospitals who said the shortage began about four months ago.

Kariuki said there enough supplies to last until December 2019 adding that replenishment of the drugs is ongoing to ensure uninterrupted supply.

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“The Ministry of Health, therefore, wishes to assure Kenyans that we have adequate supplies of both Nevirapine and Zidovudine syrup to last until December 2019. Further, replenishment of this stock is ongoing to ensure uninterrupted supply of ARVs for Prevention Mother to Child Transmission of HN across the Country” read the statement.

The drugs, Nevirapine and Zidovudine 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.

She explained that there are 69,000 bottles of Nevirapine syrup available in public facilities and an additional batch of 196,000 bottles is expected in the country in July 2019.

While allaying fears of a shortage, the health CS further disclosed that 38,000 bottles of Zidovudine syrup enough to last up to September 2019 were available while an additional batch of 80,000 bottles will arrive in the country next month.

“Currently, there are 69,000 bottles of Nevirapine syrup available in public facilities and an additional batch of 196,000 bottles is expected in the country in July 2019;… There are 38,000 bottles of Zidovudine syrup enough to last up to September 2019. An additional batch of 80,000 bottles will arrive in the country next month” she assured.