Kenya bans HIV drug
James Macharia
Kenya’s Health Minister
The Kenyan Health ministry has directed officials across the country to stop prescribing a HIV drug linked to birth defects in HIV-positive women.
The directive signed by the Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko, urged county health directors to ensure that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to whom a front-line drug, dolutegravir (DTG), has been prescribed, continue their current prescription until they stop breastfeeding.
But those of child bearing age between 15 and 49 years, who are on the drug, should be given the first-line treatment Efavirenz.
In a memo to county directors of health, Dr Kioko said the drug, which was launched in the Kenyan market last year, was not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women “due to limited safety data”.
He, however, added that through a circular in June 2017, the ministry had recommended the use of DTG in alternative regimen for people with HIV and have intolerance to Efavirenz, people who inject drugs and are on anti-retroviral therapy or new patients in the same category.
– Daily Nation
About author
You might also like
Lagos unveils guidelines to regulate ART practice
Makes registration of Assisted Fertility and Reproductive Health providers compulsory Commissioner for Health in Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris has unveiled new regulations and guidelines to guide assisted fertility practice
Nigeria to receive 41.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine soon
The Federal Government has disclosed Nigeria would receive a cumulative of 41,282,770 vaccines through the COVAX facility and the African Union Commission by September ending. It stated 3,924,000 doses of
WHO deploys new technology for Ebola fight
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it had deployed new technology that allowed for rapid diagnosis of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). WHO said in
0 Comments
No Comments Yet!
You can be first to comment this post!