The new guidelines on Septrin in Uganda no longer require all People living with HIV/Aids in Uganda (PLWHA) to take Septrin as a complementary drug that fights opportunistic infections such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.
The Ministry of Health early September announced that the new guidelines are a result of a recent research that indicates that the drug may not necessarily add value to people living with HIV who are already virally suppressed and stable on treatment. The research was carried out by the ministry of Health and the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI).
According to Ministry of Health, the researchers profiled people who should stay on septrin and these include; clients who are newly enrolled on treatment, expectant mothers as well as children below 15 years who are living with HIV.
According to the Ministry, clients who have been on ART and are stable need not worry because ARVs are effective enough in keeping away infections such as diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia.
Before this announcement, the country had experienced shortages in Septrin. The ministry however says the new guidelines do not have anything to do with the shortages. They further said that the shortages are a result of an inefficient global supply chain that may continue to manifest in the form of shortages.
The new guidelines will see government spending on Septrin reduce by $2m. Government currently spends shs $8m (Shs30b) annually on Septrin.
