29 May 2013

People infected with HIV have been advised to adhere to medication as defaulting could expose them to the risk of developing some resistance to ARVs.

In an interview on May 24, an official of Merk Sharpe and Dohme (MSD), Mr Balekanye Barulaganye said government should be commended for structures put in place to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge, which led to a reduction in HIV/AIDS related deaths.

MSD’s arm Merck Company Foundation is one of the founders of African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP) in Botswana.

Mr Barulaganye said the HIV virus is very complicated and keeps changing its genetic structure, as such making it difficult to find the cure for HIV/AIDS.

However, she said HIV/AIDS was becoming dangerous because people were now taking it for granted. 

Drinking alcohol excessively, he said, was a problem that affected the way drugs were being taken.

He cautioned that if people do not change their behavior the spiral was likely to come back.

Furthermore, he said, government should come up with a legislation to take people to task for influencing infected people to stop taking ARVs.

“If anyone is influencing an infected person to stop taking medication, that person should be taken to task,” he said.

He said it was a cause for concern that there were people who defaulted on their medication, adding that if this situation is unaddressed it could have serious implications on the government’s budget as well as the development of this country. ENDS