No cure for HIV yet, take anti-retroviral drugs – FACA

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (FACA) on Thursday cautioned people living with HIV and AIDS not to stop taking their Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs for alternative cure.

The Project Manager of the agency, Dr Uche Okoro, in Abuja was reacting to the speculation that some people living with HIV and AIDS are now abandoning their ARV drugs for some acclaimed cure of the disease.

Okoro warned that cure for HIV and AIDS had not been found therefore no one living with the disease in the territory or any part of the country should abandon their ARV drugs.

“As far as HIV is concerned in Nigeria, it remains a chronic ailment that the cure is yet to be found.

“Those living with the disease must take their drugs for life and that is why adherence to counseling was introduced to educate the HIV patients on the need to take the ARV drugs as long as they live.

“Those claiming to have found the cure all over the world have not justified or convinced scientists beyond reasonable doubt on their claim to cure HIV/AIDs.

“If you have a new medication for any ailment, your claim must follow a laid down procedure because medicine is a science therefore any vaccine or medication must go through certain trials,” he said.

The project manager said that most of the patients who were taking ARV were doing well and those who had stopped using  their drugs usually came back in worse situation.

Okoro said that such people who stopped taking their drugs and were on first line drugs would be forced to be taking second line drugs which were more expensive and scarce.
He said that no reason whatsoever should make anybody living with HIV and AIDS to stop the treatment for any acclaimed cure.

According to him, scientists in the world are coming up with vaccines to prevent transmission of HIV and AIDS. (NAN)