Doctors call for better monitoring of patients on ART

Health officials have called for anti-AIDS drugs to be properly prescribed, to avoid an increase in side effects and adverse reactions. Dr Surendra Patel of MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi says "the benefits derived from antiretroviral (ARV) treatment far outweigh the minor side effects that patients experience," but if not taken appropriately, fatal side effects will "roll-back the gains made so far." Medical experts warn that Kenya will need to adopt better patient monitoring systems, especially as the government moves ahead with it's national ARV roll-out, the African Woman and Child Features Service reported this week. Although head of Respiratory and Infectious Diseases Department at Kenyatta National Hospital, Dr Munene Irimu, said very few cases of adverse side-effects had been reported, he urged the government to restrict the number of people selling ARVs to a few pharmaceutical outlets and hospitals.