The UN AIDS agency has scarcely declared that the development of new antiretroviral drugs and the application of novel technology for early detection of HIV may be some of the ideal measures required to counter the menace of AIDS. The agency anticipates that these steps will assist in culminating this life-threatening disease by 2030. According to UN AIDS, nearly 21 million persons having AIDS were treated with life-improving antiretroviral medicines in June 2017 – significantly more than that observed five years ago. As per estimates, it was observed that there was a rampant rise in the number of people undergoing antiretroviral drug treatment in regions of South and East Africa, which were the most affected due to HIV/AIDS.
As per the agency, antiretroviral (ARV) medicine treatment helped in reducing the global death percentage, which was caused as a result of AIDS related disorders, by 48% in 2016. It was observed that AIDS had caused nearly 1.9 million deaths in 2005 – a figure that slipped down to 1 million last year. According to data presented by reliable sources, South Africa leads the globe with a major chunk of the AIDS patient population requiring ARV drug treatment. The health ministry in South Africa in fact, has claimed that the introduction of new ARV products such as dolutegravir has caused less side-effects in the AIDS patients and helped in the effective suppression of viral loads.
Experts cite that over the coming six years, South Africa will save nearly USD 783 million on AIDS treatment. In 2016, a major landmark was reached, with over 50% of AIDS patients across the globe accessing the ARV drug as an effective treatment methodology. As per reliable sources, the third quarter of 2017 has witnessed a new transaction that combines drugs using dolutegravir at a price of USD 75 per patient. It is predicted that Africa will derive the maximum benefit of the drug combination therapy with a large number of patients availing the treatment currently.
