Lack of Aids expertise harmful
2005-02-23 13:49
Johannesburg - The uncontrolled private sector distribution of anti-retrovirals in developing countries is dangerous, warned Dr Andrew Jamieson, Medical Director: SAA-Netcare Travel Clinics.
"The practice is not in the interest of the patient or the community," he said. "Although some training has been done for doctors in the private sector in Lesotho and South Africa, it is clearly not enough."
This has emerged in an article written by a correspondent from The Christian Science Monitor based on anecdotal evidence collected in Lesotho, published in the British Medical Journal in 2003.
The health of HIV-positive patients were described as at risk because the medication was not being prescribed properly.
Many private doctors who lack training for HIV/Aids care are prescribing only part of the full regime. They are not monitoring the potential toxic side effects and may not be emphasising the importance of sticking to the regime to patients.
This trend, known as therapeutic anarchy, endangers the patient's health and long term success of the effort to bring HIV/Aids treatment to developing countries. It also raises the risk of treatment-resistant strains of HIV emerging.
He said although very little research has been done on the quality of HIV/Aids care in the private sector in developing countries, the emerging scenario in Lesotho was not unique.
"The lack of knowledge is potentially more harmful than beneficial," he said.
- SAPA