Kisii — The U.S Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) has confirmed the availability of lenacapavir, a two-yearly injectable HIV/ADS treatment as early as the summer 2025, a decision made by FDA after the completion of phase 3 trial of lenacapavir treatment.
In an interview with Capital FM Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Kenya program Director for HIV and TB Dr. Jennifer Galbraith said the U.S Government's Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy is currently engaging the manufacturer ( Gilead) in ensuring supply of this treatment is contained.
"The bureau will ensure pricing level of this treatment for initial introduction is reasonable in the context of value for averted infections," said Dr.Galbraith.
She noted the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) hopes to ensure a significant supply of this treatment to be available for country programs with significant epidemiological need and enabling environment for product introduction.
In Kenya, PEPFAR has prioritized mapping of unreachable mothers and babies to increase the access of HIV services in health facilities which were traditionally not testing for HIV or offering antiretroviral treatment, to bolster Kenya's action plan of ending AIDS in children by 2027.
Gilead recently announced making cheaper versions of lenacapavir treatment available in 120 low and middle income countries.
lenacapavir treatment costs up to $40,000 per person per year in the US, a figure that remains too expensive for people in the lower- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to afford.
Response to eliminate HIV/AIDS among children
At least Eight counties (Siaya,Migori, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Nairobi, Kakamega, Bungoma and Nakuru) contribute 50% of the country's HIV pediatric infections and in response PEPFAR has established country elimination taskforce to oversee Transition from paper registers to electronic medical records for better longitudinal monitoring.
The taskforce will further support the Partnerships with private health facilities offering antenatal services to integrate HIV testing and treatment, Strengthening supply chain and ensuring uninterrupted commodities.
"In additional they will also support regular stake holder meetings at national and county levels, Joint planning and monitoring of progress at both national and county level Support formation of national taskforce path to elimination. Aligning services to the community health strategy to increase early identification and referrals by community health promoters," Said Dr. Galbraith.
Improving maternal health to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission.
US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman while concluding her two day visit to Kisii county applauded the Centers for Disease Control and prevention(CDC) in Kenya and PEPFAR in improving maternal health in Kisii county.
Speaking at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTHRH) the ambassador said the US government is supporting global efforts to eliminate new HIV infections in children, an ambitious goal of ending mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) through various programs including PEPFAR and USAID by 2027.
"We have seen the HIV clinic which is a product of PERFAR, this is president Bush's initiative to combat HIV/AIDS and this clinic is also supported by the CDC and it's remarkable of what we have done together," Said Mrs Whitman.
Whitman further acknowledged the UNAIDS triple zero outcome of zero missed appointments, Zero missed doses and zero missed viral load, an innovation campaign that is spreading country wide in eliminating HIV/AIDS.
COVID's disruption of supply chain
The ambassador noted, during Covid-19 PEPFAR's systems and delivery networks turned out to be effective for HIV treatment, tuberculosis and malaria and also combating other diseases."Covid-19 disrupted retroviral treatment however for the past six months everyone has the retroviral drugs they need including essential drugs by end of the year," said Whitman
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She noted it's not a man issue but a supply chain, and a lot of supply chains were disrupted during covid19 and it's amazing how long it has taken for production to get back where they are, they rely on Kenyan mechanisms in distributing these drugs such as KEMSA
"We can achieve the goal of ending mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2027 and get beyond the HIV epidemic. I would like to thank you for your dedication and expertise, by listening to us and also giving us room to improve in the fight against the epidemic," said Whitman.
Collaboration with local governments
Kisii governor Simba Arati said as a county the collaboration with the US government is remarkable and they will need more support including modernizing the KTRH hospital.
"The mother and child unit is a dream of everyone in this country, we have a good working relationship with all the staff in this facility," said Arati.
