Treatment allows patients with AIDS to lead a normal life
For the first time in the history of Laos a patient is receiving antiretroviral drugs (HAART -Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy) for the treatment of AIDS. HAART is a highly effective combination of drugs that allows patients with AIDS to lead a normal life. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has now started the treatment and is aiming to provide as many patients as possible with access to HAART.
Kinoy, a young woman has just started her treatment in the hospital of Savannaketh, 500 kilometres south of the capital Vientiane. She is the first patient to receive HAART in Laos as part of an official programme. Access to this treatment will allow her to lead a normal life in spite of AIDS and offers hope to others infected.
Until today people in Laos had no access to such life prolonging medicine. For years MSF has been trying through its Access Campaign to Essential Medicines to make anti-retroviral drugs available to the world's developing countries and now thanks to international pressure and increasing generic competition worldwide, the prices have dropped considerably.
MSF's HIV/AIDS programme in Laos started in July 2001 in Savannakhet Province and has provided treatment for opportunistic diseases that AIDS patients suffer from. MSF in cooperation with local and national authorities has now received permission to introduce HAART into its programmes. In the future MSF aims to bring HAART to all patients suffering from HIV/AIDS in and around Savannaketh. MSF is also looking for ways to expand its treatment programme to other parts of the country.
MSF has been working in Laos for 10 years. There are currently about 5,000 AIDS patients worldwide receiving antiretroviral treatment from MSF.
For the first time in the history of Laos a patient is receiving antiretroviral drugs (HAART -Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy) for the treatment of AIDS. HAART is a highly effective combination of drugs that allows patients with AIDS to lead a normal life. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has now started the treatment and is aiming to provide as many patients as possible with access to HAART.
Kinoy, a young woman has just started her treatment in the hospital of Savannaketh, 500 kilometres south of the capital Vientiane. She is the first patient to receive HAART in Laos as part of an official programme. Access to this treatment will allow her to lead a normal life in spite of AIDS and offers hope to others infected.
Until today people in Laos had no access to such life prolonging medicine. For years MSF has been trying through its Access Campaign to Essential Medicines to make anti-retroviral drugs available to the world's developing countries and now thanks to international pressure and increasing generic competition worldwide, the prices have dropped considerably.
MSF's HIV/AIDS programme in Laos started in July 2001 in Savannakhet Province and has provided treatment for opportunistic diseases that AIDS patients suffer from. MSF in cooperation with local and national authorities has now received permission to introduce HAART into its programmes. In the future MSF aims to bring HAART to all patients suffering from HIV/AIDS in and around Savannaketh. MSF is also looking for ways to expand its treatment programme to other parts of the country.
MSF has been working in Laos for 10 years. There are currently about 5,000 AIDS patients worldwide receiving antiretroviral treatment from MSF.
