Free antiretroviral therapy for HIV patients: The Ministry of Health told about the procedure of access to it

ARV drugs are free of charge for for patients with HIV. The Ministry of Health has explained how to get medications.

What is antiretroviral (ARV) therapy?

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a is a method of treating HIV and AIDS. Thanks to ARV therapy, the reproduction of the virus in the body is suppressed as much as possible, the immune system is restored, and the level of viral is restored, and the level of viral load reaches a level that is not is undetectable by tests.

Undetectable viral load for 6 months or more means that the virus cannot be transmitted during sexual intercourse (this is the basis of the formula "Undetectable = Non-transmissible").

ARVs are free of charge for the patient and must be taken for life. for the patient and must be taken for life, even if the viral load is no longer detectable by tests. viral load is no longer detectable by tests.

How to get antiretroviral therapy? antiretroviral therapy?

Get tested for antibodies to HIV. HIV infection. This should be done regularly to know your HIV status. Testing is free and confidential. You can get tested at your family doctor, in a doctor, in a trust office, in health care facilities or mobile for testing. You can find the most convenient testing point for you you can in the chatbot.

In case of a confirmed positive the doctor will suggest starting ARV therapy. It is important to start treatment as soon as possible. All your test results are confidential. For disclosing information about your health status, healthcare workers may be subject to criminal liability and may be banned from practicing their profession. and be banned from practicing medicine.

At times, your doctor may refer you for you for additional tests.

Then you will be given a treatment plan. ARV therapy can be different. Sometimes, along with the medications, you may need to take additional medications to reduce the risk of developing comorbidities.

Your doctor will give you a set of medicines for 3-6 months, and you will start therapy. months, and you start therapy according to the prescribed regimen. The medications should be taken every day at approximately the same time. This should be done for the rest of your life. It is very important not to miss a dose because the virus can adapt to the components of the drug and become invulnerable to them.

Your doctor may adjust the regimen based on the the effectiveness of the treatment in your case.

If people with HIV do not receive treatment, the disease progresses. Treatment can slow or prevent further the development of the disease. Thanks to advances in HIV treatment, the transition to the most serious stage of the disease - AIDS - is less common today than it used to be, when the disease was first discovered.

Remember, it is important to take your medications ARVs continuously and systematically, because without daily suppression with medications the virus will start multiplying again and become resistant to the drugs of the previous treatment regimen.

At the same time, it is worth remembering that there is no there is no effective way to cure HIV infection - if a person is infected with HIV, it stays with them forever. But with proper medical care HIV can be controlled. People with HIV who receive effective treatment can live a long, healthy life, give birth to healthy children and be safe for their partners.