Cabinet lauds roll out of single ARV pill

Friday, April 19, 2013

Pretoria - Cabinet has lauded the “ground-breaking” intervention by the Department of Health to introduce the fixed-dose combination of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to improve the health profile of all people living with HIV.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi earlier this month launched the fixed-dose combination of the antiretroviral pill in Pretoria.

This means that multiple antiretroviral drugs have been combined into a single pill. This makes it easier to stick to the antiretroviral treatment programme because patients only need to take one pill.

In a statement issued by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) after this week’s ordinary cabinet meeting, Cabinet called on all South Africans to get tested regularly and to know their status.

South Africans living with HIV and Aids are encouraged to discuss the new ARV treatment regime with their healthcare provider.

At the beginning of April there were about 1.9 million patients on ARV treatment in South Africa.

According to the Department of Health, for people living with HIV the fixed dose ARV will be life changing.

The South African National Aids Council (SANAC) has also welcomed the new single dose. – SAnews.gov.za