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Thandeka Moyo, Chronicle Reporter 

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care is working on a programme to roll out a new antiretroviral drug, Dolutegravir, which is more effective in viral suppression and has fewer side effects. 

Viral suppression is the ability to prevent the HIV virus from multiplying in the body and Zimbabwe has a target to ensure that 90 percent of people living with HIV achieve that by 2020.

About 1,3 million people are living with HIV in Zimbabwe and statistics show that 90 percent are on treatment. 

In a statement, the deputy director of HIV/Aids and STIs in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Tsitsi Apollo, said the drug works by reducing the ability of the HIV virus to replicate itself.

“Dolutegravir (DTG) is an antiretroviral drug used to treat HIV infection and is more tolerable to patients, meaning it has lesser side effects compared to other ARVs. It is used as part of combination therapy for the treatment of HIV and works by reducing the ability of the virus to make copies of itself,” she said. 

“In May this year DTG will be first offered to newly diagnosed clients and by August 2019, existing clients already on ART will be offered DTG containing regimens”. 

 Dr Apollo said compared to other ARVs, Dolutegravir is safer though caution is required when taken by women of child bearing age. 

“If the virus is not multiplying, there is less chances of the patient falling ill and therefore less likely to transmit the virus to others. In addition to rapid viral suppression, DTG also has higher genetic barrier, an inherently better ability to prevent the virus from being resistant to the drug compared to other ARVs,” she said

Dr Apollo added that unlike other ARVs, Dolutegravir can also be taken once a day thereby improving patients’ adherence. 

“However, some caution is required when administered to women of child bearing potential as the drug has been linked with what are called neural tube defects. These are a spectrum of abnormalities that affect newborn babies,” she said. 

Dr Apollo said the World Health Organisation recommends that DTG should only be prescribed to women of child-bearing potential if they are on effective contraception. —@thamamoe