HIV test strips in short supply

Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) in the country have called on the government to, as a matter of urgency; intervene to address the shortage of the test strips, used in measuring the anti-bodies of HIV persons, across the country.

Known as the cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count regent, its shortage has accounted for the inability of health service providers to conduct CD4 tests across the country, which is threatening the lives of thousands of people living with the virus.

The risk of the shortage of the CD4 count regent is that many patients who do not know of their HIV status die daily because of the unavailability of HIV testing kits for the hospitals to provide the HIV testing, counselling services and the appropriate treatment.

Hospitals across the country over the last few months have experienced shortage of CD4 with the exception of the Police Hospital in Accra, which also ran out of it two weeks ago.

This means hitherto PLHIVs could only access CD4 by travelling down to Accra.

Greater Accra Regional Chairman of National Association of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS, Mr Raymond Ahorlu, made the call at a news conference in Accra to address some issues in the health sector affecting PLHIV in the country.

Mr Ahorlu said Ghana’s effort in ensuring the reduction of HIV and AIDS prevalence in the country would be baseless and needless, if their concerns were not addressed immediately.

Ghana’s talk of becoming HIV Free Generation will become impossible because many children are born without going through the HIV test due to lack of HIV testing kits, Mr Ahorlu said .

“As we speak most patients would not be put on HIV treatment because their status cannot be ascertained due to these challenges facing PLHIV” he added.

By Ruby Efe Ani-Adjei & Fred Dzakpata/Daily Graphic/Ghana