Divided Opinions on Feasibility of Kenya’s Option B+ Roll Out

With Option B+, pregnant women are started on lifelong antiretroviral therapy regardless of their CD4 count. Credit: Miriam Gathigah/IPSBy Miriam GathigahNAIROBI, May 26 2014 (IPS) Kenya’s health sector has been facing significant challenges, ranging from a shortage of health care providers to a series of labour strikes. The problems have not only disrupted health services, but have HIV experts divided on whether to roll out Option B+ nationwide or just to pilot it in high volume facilities such as major referral hospitals.  Option B+ is the latest treatment option recommended by the World Health Organisation for HIV positive mothers. In the earlier Options A and B, mother and baby were given antiretrovirals (ARVs) during pregnancy and breastfeeding; only women with CD4 counts under 350 were prescribed ARVs for life. CD4s, or helper cells, fight infections in the body. Option B+ consists of lifelong provision of ARV therapy to pregnant women, regardless of their CD4 count. Dr John Ong’ech, assistant director at Kenyatta National Hospital, told IPS that when discussion begun in 2013 on whether to start option B+ in Kenya, “at the national policy level, people were divided on whether to roll out Option B+ fully.” Currently, Option B+ is only available in the two major referral hospitals, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi province, the Moi Referral Hospital in the Rift Valley province, and in a few mission and district hospitals. “There are those who felt th...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Africa Countdown to ZERO Development & Aid Featured Gender Headlines Health Population Poverty & MDGs Projects Regional Categories TerraViva Europe TerraViva United Nations Women's Health ARVs Kenya Option B UNAIDS Source Type: news