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How SMS and call services are used to keep HIV patients on their medication

There are concerns that some HIV patients are withdrawing  from antiretroviral therapy (ART). PHOTO|POOL

What you need to know:

  • According to Homa Bay County Deputy Director for Health Services Dr Amos Dulo, some patients withdraw from taking drugs after being introduced to harmful religious beliefs.
  •  

There are concerns that some HIV patients are withdrawing  from antiretroviral therapy (ART). However,  experts say that this  has severe consequences. HIV/Aids requires lifelong treatment to manage the virus and maintain the health of those affected and their partners.


According to Homa Bay County Deputy Director for Health Services Dr Amos Dulo, some patients withdraw from taking drugs after being introduced to harmful religious beliefs.


“Some religious leaders in some places of worship would tell their congregation that they are healed of all diseases including this. Some patients have been known to stop taking drugs believing that they are healed,” he said.


Patients have also been known to develop stigma and fail to maintain ART therapy.


Dr Dulo explained that some patients, feeling better, are tempted to stop their medication, believing their body has built enough strength to fight the virus. Others turn to herbal remedies, which, according to him, have no proven effect on the virus.


This sometimes leads to complications when patients fail to maintain the routine of taking drugs or health workers fail to check on the strength of the virus in their blood and introduce them to different categories of drugs.


It often leads to serious health consequences, including viral rebound where the HIV virus starts to reproduce and circulate in the blood again, weakening the immune system, which, he explains, could  lead to early deaths.


Dr Dulo said it can also result to emergence of opportunistic infections. He said patients are likely to develop TB and cancer.


“Patients are likely to contract infections that are not even common in the region because the immune system in the body is weak and cannot fight off infections,” Dr Dulo said. During ART, patients are taken through tests which includes Viral load and CD4 count.


Patients are also taken through psychosocial counseling, nutritional and wellness support as well as mental health integration. Failure to go to the clinic can have a long term side effect on the life of a patient.


A medical organisation called The Addis Clinic that operates in the lake region is helping HIV patients remember their doctor’s appointments and when to visit the hospital.This ensures HIV patients are traced and are always kept on medication to maintain their immunity.


Participants in the programme receive SMS reminders on their phones, notifying them of when to visit health facilities and prompting medical officers to check on their health. Dr Edwin Warah, the programmes manager says they started the initiative to enhance ARV adherence among HIV positive persons. The organisation, through various health facilities, sends SMS reminders to patients a day before their clinic appointment.


“We have 56,000 HIV patients whom we remind to take their ARV drugs. We send them an SMS a day before their clinic day so that they go for their drugs. Our objective is to enhance adherence to ARV usage,” Dr Warah said.


The medical officer said the system is considered a viable strategy for targeting healthy behavioural changes including adherence to doctors’ advice. According to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC), counties in the lake region (Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori) have some of the highest HIV prevalence in the country.


Each hospital maintains a database of the patients they support and uses a bulk messaging system to send reminders.
Some patients visit the facilities to have their blood samples collected for viral load test in the laboratory while others go to hospital for refill where they are given antiretroviral (ARVs).


Dr. Warah explained that the system used by his organization to send messages to patients identifies individuals using codes, ensuring their identities are protected.


“Patients get messages that are simple to read and understand. It basically contains information on when they should visit the hospital and what they are going to do there,” he said.


They have also incorporated peer educators in the programme who get involved in cases where a patient does not answer phone calls after failing to go to hospital. The peer educator conducts  househould visits to check on the patients,” he said.