E-drug: Correct use of antiretrovirals (cont'd)
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It is interesting how this issue is now gaining public view. During
the access campaign period, those of us in "practice" alerted the
advocacy people that it will not be just enough to make the drugs
available at affordable prices - there was a glaring need for
prescribers and dispensers to gain practical knowledge on these
drugs and HIV management in general.
In my country, so many people have risen to the ocassion to try
and meet this gap, albeit a little late. These include the Kenya
Medical Association, Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies,
Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network, among others. I have had the
advantage of attending or facilitating in these different training
sessions and they are all according to perceived needs and targeting
just a few people. Presumably that's all the funding enables them to
do. Since we all agree that HIV management is a new thing, we
definitely need a comprehensive approach into how to equip the
prescribers, dispensers and nurses, together with the supplies and
logistics people on how best to make use of these medications and
comprehensively manage HIV.
With regard to guidelines, whatever is available is still complex
(Trying to educate at the same time guide). It will only be useful to
have practical guidelines after some knowledge base has been
established.
Dr Atieno Ojoo
Gertrude's Garden Children's Hospital
P O Box 42325-00100
GPO, Nairobi
Tel 254 2 3763474-7
Fax 254 2 3763281
Email: mojoo@gerties.org
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