Fiji provide antiretroviral drugs to persons living with HIV.

02 MARCH 2011 SUVA (FIJI TIMES) ---- Fiji is able to provide antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to persons living with HIV/AIDS because of the low prevalence of the virus.

Health Ministry spokesman Peni Namotu said ARV drugs are provided for free in Fiji and the cost of treatment and drugs are budgeted for by Government.

The challenge is to maintain our low prevalence status so that everything is managed within our means and resources and not rely, or dependent, on outside assistance, he said.

Namotu's comment was made in reaction to concerns raised by the founder of the Pacific AIDS Foundation, Marie Bopp-Allport, on challenges of accessing ARV drugs faced in the Pacific.

He said Fiji had 354 cumulative cases of HIV as of December 2010, or 0.04 per cent which was of very low prevalence.

With Fiji's low prevalence of which number of cases are still small, procuring enough ARV drugs for PLH (people living with HIV/AIDS) in Fiji should not be a problem.

There are three clinics looking after PLH and also maternity units at the three divisional hospitals to look after HIV pregnant mothers to prevent transmission from mother to child, said Namotu.

He said current ARV treatment regimen was now revised for the drugs to be given early to anyone who tested positive.

This improves health and the long-term outcomes for the PLH. The challenge also is to ensure that PLH take medications regularly, look after their own health and diet, seek help for any sign of infection or problems and have a positive outlook for the future, he said.

However, most important is positive behaviour. Positive behaviour means following the ABC of prevention of abstinence, being faithful to one partner and using condoms.

He said the challenge was for people to be more responsible for their own health.

He said the other challenge was to make condoms easily accessible and available for such people either everywhere or at a cheaper price.

Namotu said there was awareness in terms of educational materials available on HIV and other STIs at health facilities and also on the internet.

He said there were awareness programmes in workplaces and also part of school program through Family Life Education.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)