MSF: Conditions "horrific" for HIV/AIDS patients in the Congo

Jan 25, 2012, 16:12 GMT

Addis Abeba/Kinshasa - HIV/AIDS patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing 'horrific' conditions, medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Wednesday.

Just 15 per cent of those infected with the virus who could benefit from treatment had access to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, one of the lowest rates in the world, the organization found.

'If nothing is done, it is highly likely that the 15,000 people currently on the waiting list and in urgent need of ARV drugs will be dead within three years,' said Anja De Weggheleire, MSF's medical coordinator in the country.

Due to the lack of treatment, many patients in an advanced stage of the illness were experiencing 'unacceptable suffering,' MSF wrote in a statement.

'The situation here reminds me of the time before any antiretroviral treatment was available,' De Weggheleire added.

The situation had worsened, MSF said, because donors were reducing or withdrawing their funding.

'While the Global Fund (to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis) is the leading supplier of ARV drugs in the DRC, the countries that finance the Fund have not kept their promises,' MSF wrote.

Expansions to treatment programmes had to be cancelled because Global Fund cancelled a planned 11th round of fundraising, the charity said.

The Global Fund decided to cancel its fundraising drive after developed countries failed to meet their pledges or reduced their contributions due to the financial crisis.

An estimated 1 million people are HIV positive in DRC. Of those, around 350,000 can control the virus through medication, but a mere 44,000 people have access to drugs, according to MSF. In Africa, only Sudan and Somalia had similar rates.