Faith, 23, is on the verge of despair after being unable to check her HIV viral load for the second time this year. "Since they drew blood to test the viral load in January, the next time I was to be tested again was in June, but apparently, I was told that the testing kits are not available," says a Kayole resident who has been living with HIV for four years.
According to Ministry of Health guidelines, once a person is placed on antiretroviral therapy (ART), their viral load should be checked at least once a year to monitor treatment progress.
A suppressed viral load (below 1000 copies/ml) indicates effective treatment, while an unsuppressed viral load requires repeat testing every three months to determine whether poor adherence or treatment failure is the cause. .Keep ReadingSHA paid Sh11.4 billion to hospitals in three months, MOH saysRelief for patients after clinical officers call off strikeKMA faults health leadership shakeup, urges stability in ministryCartels hell-hole: Who's in charge of powerful cartels at Afya House?For Faith, a mother of one, the challenge is compounded by recent life changes. She ended the relationship with her HIV-negative partner in February, citing fear of infection following the shortage of PrEP after US funding cuts to the global AIDS response. "I have started a new relationship with a positive partner. I am not sure of my new partner, and now I don't know how well the drugs are helping me as I look forward to having more children," she reveals.
Her dream of having more children is dim, weighed down by the reality of managing her viral load.
