Assessment of the impact of the new ARVs on the HIV and AIDS patients in Uganda : a case study of TASO, Jinja Referral Hospital

Abstract

Back in the 1980s there was calamity with more than 30% of Ugandans had contracted the HIV virus. About 2012 with the presence of ARVs, the Uganda `AIDS Commission observed a reduction in the number of HIV positive Ugandans from 1.4 million to 1.3 million. The study conducted a cross-sectional, observational study of 118 HIV-infected patients who were receiving antiretroviral therapy at TASO Jinja Regional Referral Hospital (Jinja). The intervention measured the prevalence of viral suppression during an open prospective HIV Rural Clinical Cohort (RCC) in Busoga region. Chi-square tests (X2) were used to compare categorical data, and Student’s t test was used to compare continuous variables. P values of .05 were considered to be statistically significant. Logistic regression models assessed variables associated with undetectable viral load (1400 copies/ mL). The study revealed that access to the ARVs in the rural areas of the country is still a problem, most of the people succumb to death simply because they are out of reach, the insufficient ARVs are found at government national and regional referrals yet most people far away from town find it difficult to acquire them. Fear of disclosure and stress with the associated nutrition related effects of lack of balanced diet, having multiple sexual partners, unprotected sex, language barriers during counseling session were found to be common among the youths. There is therefore need for government to establish TASO centers at Health Centre IVs in the various constituencies and municipalities to increase on access and reduce on incomplete dosages scenario.