It would be nice to see stockouts in Myanmar receive as much publicity as this ...
Jamie
++++++++++++++++++
PRESS RELEASE
Stock-outs of lifesaving HIV drugs now in Bangkok - but only if you’re poor.
The HIV Foundation
29 July 2014
BANGKOK: Thais living with HIV from lower socio-economic backgrounds are being turned away from some government hospitals without the lifesaving HIV treatment they need. This week and last week The HIV Foundation Thailand reports multiple clients being told there is no funding available for Efavirenz at their hospital. One client explained, “I went to [hospital] but they told me they have no money for medication because I’m a gold card holder. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Thailand’s universal health care system is complex. The poorest of these, supporting the majority of Thais, is called the ‘gold card’ system. This is how it works: people with HIV attend a government hospital with their ‘gold card’ and pay just $1 (B30) to receive any kind of clinical service.
There are constant problems with this system. The most significant of these is that hospitals run out of funding for the gold card ‘class’ of patient. When they do, they close their books to gold card holders, even those with TB or HIV.
“In our work at The HIV Foundation Thailand we educate people with HIV about the importance of taking HIV drugs on time, every time” said Mr Nikorn Chimkong, Executive Director at the foundation. Chimkong explained that not taking HIV drugs on time allows HIV to develop resistance to HIV drugs, making the available treatment options limited.
“The Thai health system may be creating the environment for drug resistant HIV to become a serious public health issue in the future,” said Scott Berry, Regional Advisor for The HIV Foundation Thailand. Berry explained that drug-resistant HIV can be transmitted to others, creating a potentially new public health crisis, in which available HIV drugs are ineffective for newly HIV diagnosed people.
The HIV Foundation Thailand has also received reports that some clinical practitioners are giving false information about HIV treatment to justify turning patients away. One client said, “The pharmacist told me not to worry, that Efavirenz stays in the blood for up to two month. But I know that’s not true.”
Chimkong said, “The Thai government has a universal health policy to be proud of. But these problems at points of care across Thailand are undermining our good intentions.”
More information: contact Nikorn Chimkong, at nikornthai@yahoo.com (for Thai language) or Scott Berry, at scottberry@y7mail.com (for English).
