Latest news with #HIV
Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
As lifelines severed, Mozambique's HIV-positive children face dire consequences of aid cuts (Part 1)
In Mozambique, the health system is overwhelmingly built on US money. When the Trump administration instantly pulled much of this funding without warning, disease and death spread. Spotlight and GroundUp visited one of the worst-affected regions to describe the human toll. Hospitals run short of life-saving drugs. Doctors and nurses are laid off en masse. Hospital lines get longer and longer. Some patients are given the wrong medication, probably because the data capturers (who manage patient files) have lost their jobs. Community case workers who had been delivering HIV medication to orphaned children stopped coming. Without their antiretrovirals (ARVs), some of these children die. Following Donald Trump's executive order to suspend US global aid funding on 20 January 2025, the health system in parts of Mozambique fell into a state of chaos. US aid agencies had financed much of the country's healthcare workforce, along with the transportation of drugs and diagnostic tests to government hospitals. In some provinces, this money came from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which restored much of its funding shortly after the executive order. But in the central provinces of Sofala and Manica the money came from the US Agency for International Development (USAid), which permanently pulled most of its grants. For a week in June, I travelled to nine rural villages and towns across the two provinces. Interviews with grieving caregivers, health workers and government officials across these settlements all converged on one clear and near-universal conclusion: the funding cuts have led to the deaths of children. One of the clearest reasons is this: after USAid-backed community health workers were dismissed, thousands of HIV-positive children under their care were abandoned. Panic at all levels In 2020, a Sofala-based organisation called ComuSanas received a large USAid grant to employ hundreds of community workers throughout rural parts of the province. 'The project aimed to reduce mortality among children living with HIV,' says Joaquim Issufo, a former community worker with the project. He spoke to me from a street market in the impoverished district of Buzi, where he now runs a stall selling fish. 'We worked with children aged 0 to 17, especially orphans and vulnerable children.' These children live in remote villages, far away from public amenities. Some were found living in homes without any adults. Many others live with an elderly grandparent who can barely afford to feed them. In the midst of poverty and isolation, the case workers, known locally as activists, functioned as a bridge between these children and the country's hospitals. They shuttled diagnostic tests between communities and health facilities. They brought children their medicines and ensured they took the correct doses at the right times. And they accompanied them to health facilities, and helped them weave through bureaucracy. Issufo notes that their role also extended far beyond health: they organised birth certificates, enrolled children in schools and referred them for housing. When drought and famine ripped through villages, they brought food baskets and provided nutritional education. In the villages that I went to, children and their caregivers referred to the activists as 'mother', 'father' or 'sister', and said that they were like family members. But after USAid issued stop-work orders to ComuSanas in January, those 'mothers and fathers' abruptly stopped visiting, and suddenly the region's most desperate children were left to fend for themselves. Issufo says that after this, there was 'panic at all levels, both for us as activists and also for our beneficiaries'. Children admitted to hospital and left for dead About 80km from Issufo's fish stall is the village of Tica, in the Nhamatanda district. Amid homes of mud brick and thatch, a group of former ComuSanas activists sit on logs, buckets and reed mats and explain the consequences of the programme's termination. '[Before the USAid cuts], I was taking care of a boy because [he] lives with an elderly woman, and she had to work,' says Marta Jofulande. 'I had to go to the health facility and give the child his [ARV] medication. I also helped to do things like preparing food. But with this suspension, I couldn't go any more.' Shortly after, Jofulande was told by the child's elderly caregiver that he had fallen ill, and was in critical care at a central hospital. 'I was the one bringing the [ARVs] to him,' says Jofulande. 'As soon as the programme stopped, he no longer took the medication, and that's when he relapsed. He is in a very critical condition and is breathing through a tube.' 'His name is Cleiton,' she adds. 'He's eight years old.' Many other children have already perished. A 20-minute drive from Tica is the settlement of Mutua, in the Dondo district. There, activist Carlota Francisco says: 'During this pause, we had cases [of children] that were really critical that ended up losing their lives.' One of them was a two-year-old girl under her care. 'That child depended on me,' says Francisco, who explains that she would fetch and provide the girl's ARVs. After she stopped, she says the girl's caregivers failed to give her the correct dosages. The two-year-old died shortly thereafter. Stories such as this were repeated in almost every village that we visited. Often, children or their caregivers attempted to get the medication without the activists. But many of the hospitals were in a state of chaos because USAid-funded health workers and data capturers had been laid off. The linkage officers that knew these children and had previously assisted them were gone too. (The procurement of the country's ARVs is financed by The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This money continues to flow, but the distribution of these drugs to hospitals relies on US money.) Endless queues, drug shortages and the loss of patient files meant some didn't get their medication. Rates of ARV treatment fall throughout the province The director of health for the Buzi district, Roque Junior Gemo, explains that a key role of the community workers was to extend health services to remote areas that they had long struggled to reach. 'They are like our tree branches to bring services to the people,' says Gemo. 'Our villages are very remote, and we have a large population that needs information [and] basic services. 'Especially in the HIV area, we have terminal patients who were once followed up by activists. They used to get medications at home. Without that help, their condition worsened, and some died.' This forms part of an issue that extends far beyond the district of Buzi. In the Sofala capital of Beira, I sat down with some of the province's senior health officials. The HIV supervisor for the province, Manuel Seco, provided data on the HIV response in Sofala, before and after the cuts. Between May and December of 2024, the total number of people on ARVs in the province had risen by more than 20,000 people, the data shows. This increase occurred steadily, rising by 500 to 5,000 people each month. But as soon as the cuts were made, this progress was halted and the trend reversed. Since January, the number of people on ARV treatment has been falling by hundreds of people each month. The reason, according to Seco, is that many people who were on ARVs have stopped their treatment, while new ARV initiations have dropped sharply. And the impact extends far beyond just the HIV response. TB left untreated Buried within a compound owned by Tongaat Hulett is a government hospital that services the rural population of Mafambisse, in Dondo district. Joaquim Mupanguiua, who deals with TB at the hospital, says that after the activists were laid off, the hospital saw a steep decline in the number of TB patients coming to the facility. 'Only when they are already very ill do they come to the health unit,' he says. 'But with the activists they would easily go to the communities and find the sick.' The number of patients coming to the hospital is roughly a third of what it once was: 'We used to get around 28 to 30 [TB] patients per month, but now we're down to fewer than 10,' Mupanguiua notes. Because patients come to the hospital when they're already severely ill, there's significantly less that health facilities can do for them. It's thus no surprise that Mupanguiua believes that there has been an uptick in needless TB deaths. Finding other ways Back in the Buzi district office, Gemo says that efforts have been made to assist terminal patients who had previously been supported by activists, but there are so many people in need that they aren't able to help everyone. Activists often said something similar — they continue to visit their beneficiaries when they can, they say, but without ComuSanas sponsoring their transport costs, many struggle to visit children in remote areas. And the loss of their income with the programme means that they now need to spend their days finding other ways to survive — subsistence farming and street markets are the usual routes. But this work rarely offers the kind of regular income that ComuSanas was providing. 'Honestly, buying notebooks, pens and clothes for my children has become very difficult,' says Dondo-based activist Brito Balao. Meanwhile, in Tica, activists asked how they could provide food to their former beneficiaries when they are themselves going hungry. Despite this, the activists still live within the same villages as their beneficiaries. And so unlike those in Washington, they cannot withdraw their support without facing the resentment or desperation of their communities. 'We work with love, and we get really sad not being able to be there for those kids,' says one Mutua-based activist. 'There's even another family that cried today [when they saw me]. 'You've been away for a while,' they said. Gosh, we feel bad.' Among former beneficiaries of the programme the sense of abandonment was palpable, and their anger was often directed at the former activists. This was often compounded by the fact that no one had explained to them why the programme had stopped. In the village of Nharuchonga, Joana explains that in the past her activist, Fatima, would always come and ensure that her daughter took her ARVs. Now that Fatima has stopped coming, her daughter doesn't always take the medication, she says. (Fatima is present during this conversation.) 'We've been abandoned by Fatima,' she states, looking directly away from the former activist. 'Until now we have been too shy to ask why she has abandoned us.' In many other cases, the tone was simply one of sadness. Back in Tica, inside an outdoor kitchen made of corrugated iron sheets, Maria holds her five-year-old granddaughter Teresa. Despite facing hunger at various points over recent years, she cooks sweet potatoes above a small fire, and insists that everyone eats. Both of Teresa's parents died of Aids, says Maria. It has been left to her to raise the child, while trying to grow rice and maize for subsistence — an effort hampered by frequent drought. For a long time Maria has had help with this parental role, she says. Activist Marta Jofulande had been assisting her family and acting like a mother to the child. But since the programme was terminated, they don't see much of Jofulande anymore. Instead, five-year-old Teresa has been forced to deal with the exit of yet another parental figure. DM A note on quotes: Most of our interviews were in Portuguese and were mediated by a local translator. We subsequently transcribed and translated the recordings of these interviews using AI-based software, including Descript and ChatGPT. Where there was a significant mismatch between the interpretations of the translator and the software, we contacted the interviewee or got third parties to help translate the recordings. The cost of travel, accommodation and the journalist's remuneration was shared between GroundUp and Spotlight. Part two will be published next week.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
US FDA approves HIV prevention drug: Why is this a breakthrough?
A twice-yearly injectable drug for the prevention of HIV infection has been approved by the United States' Food and Drug Administration. With better compliance expected — instead of daily pills on a shot every two months that people have to take at the moment — it is one of the most anticipated developments in the field of HIV prevention. The Lenacapavir injection — sold as Yeztugo by pharmaceutical giant Gilead — was approved based on the results of two Phase 3 trials that showed 99.9% of individuals remained HIV negative with the two shots taken annually. 'FDA approval … paves the way for WHO prequalification, which can accelerate national regulatory approvals … and procurement by donor agencies like the Global Fund… Lenacapavir's discreet, long-acting formulation may help overcome key barriers such as daily pill burden, frequent clinic visits and stigma associated with HIV prevention,' the World Health Organization (WHO) said. Lenacapavir is an anti-retroviral medication that can be used to treat as well as prevent HIV. As Sunlenca, it is used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs for the treatment of people who have been on pills for a very long time and are resistant to multiple drugs. As Yestugo, it is a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent the infection. The drug works by binding with the HIV capsid — a protein shell that protects the virus' genetic material. It then disrupts crucial steps needed for the virus to replicate and infect new cells. PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis is a drug or injectable meant to prevent HIV infection in people at a higher risk of contracting the disease. These medicines can reduce the risk of acquiring HIV infection through sexual activity by 99% and through injection drug use by 74%. At present, there are several types of PrEP available — pills such as Truvada or Descovy, Dapivirine vaginal ring and the injectable Cabotegravir that has to be taken every two months. It is important to be tested for HIV before taking PrEP. While these medicines are also used in the treatment of HIV, they are prescribed in combination with other antiretrovirals. Given alone to a patient with HIV, they might develop resistance to the drugs. PrEP is usually recommended for people living with an HIV positive partner, those who frequently change partners, those who have sex with people with unknown HIV status, those who work in the sex industry, and those who use injectable drugs. Medicines for post exposure prophylaxis are also available to be used as an emergency measure in cases such as inadvertent exposure in a hospital setting, after condom failure, or during sexual assault. While generic versions of the PrEP pills are approved in India — Cabotegravir injection is also available through a sub-licensing contract — they are not widely used. This is mainly owing to the cost of the medicines and the fact that they are not yet part of the country's national programme, which already provides life-long treatment to all who have been diagnosed with HIV. The new injectable will cost USD 28,218 annually, remaining out of reach for many. Even in the US, usage remains low. Only 36% of the 1.2 million people who would have benefited from the medicine were prescribed it. Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More
Washington Post
4 hours ago
- Health
- Washington Post
In Uganda, a tougher bicycle offers hope for better health coverage in rural areas
LIRA, Uganda — The bicycle parked in Lucy Abalo's compound doesn't belong to her. Any one of the hundreds of people in her village can show up and ask to use it. A man might wish to take his pregnant wife for a checkup. A woman might need transport to pick up HIV medication. An injured child might need a trip to a hospital.
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Swine Flu has many in bed in eMalahleni
Look after yourself, Swine Flu has taken hold of eMalahleni. Doctors' rooms are full, and pharmacists are running around trying to fill everyone's prescriptions. More than 10 years after the 2009 pandemic, Swine Flu, officially called Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, continues to appear in South Africa during the cold, dry winter months. Though many people now think of it as just another seasonal illness, health experts warn that it can still be serious, especially for those at higher risk. Professor Cheryl Cohen, a South African expert in respiratory viruses, explained, 'Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 is one of the three main types of seasonal flu. Even though it originally came from pigs, the version we see today spreads easily from one person to another and is fully adapted to humans.' Since the 2009 outbreak, H1N1 has become a regular part of the flu season. The symptoms are like a strong cold: fever, chills, body aches, tiredness, and a dry cough. But in some people, the illness can quickly get worse. 'It can cause serious problems like pneumonia,' said Cohen. 'Most people get better, but people with other health problems or weak immune systems are much more likely to end up in hospital or worse.' People most at risk include the elderly, young children, those with heart or lung diseases, and individuals with compromised immune systems, especially people living with HIV/AIDS. In communities where access to healthcare is limited, the virus can become life-threatening. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) urges people, especially those in high-risk groups, to get vaccinated annually. The flu vaccine, which includes protection against H1N1, is available at public health clinics and private pharmacies across the country. It is free for children, the elderly, and people with chronic conditions at government clinics. Simple preventive measures can make a big difference: Get vaccinated every year. Wash your hands regularly. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. Avoid close contact with sick individuals. Stay home if you are unwell. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen. Local resident Renate Viljoen, who is currently recovering from the flu, said, 'It started with body aches and a fever, and I thought it was nothing. But by the next day, I could hardly get out of bed. People must not wait; go to the clinic early.' Breaking news at your fingertips … Follow WITBANK NEWS our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok Chat to us: info@ At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Toronto Star
4 hours ago
- Health
- Toronto Star
In Uganda, a tougher bicycle offers hope for better health coverage in rural areas
LIRA, Uganda (AP) — The bicycle parked in Lucy Abalo's compound doesn't belong to her. Any one of the hundreds of people in her village can show up and ask to use it. A man might wish to take his pregnant wife for a checkup. A woman might need transport to pick up HIV medication. An injured child might need a trip to a hospital.
