Ecuador: Five HIV Challenges

The five challenges of Ecuador against HIV
At least 31 thousand people live in the country with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which has become a chronic disease that is controlled with medication. But the fight against the disease Ecuador still faces several challenges.

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Five challenges

Dr. Jose Luis Proaño, family and HIV specialist doctor, heads the Clinic Hospital of Quito Vozandes.

Dr. Jose Luis Proaño is the director of the HIV clinic of the Hospital of Quito Vozandes. It is a family physician with a graduate degree and extensive experience in treating HIV cases. HIV clinic Vozandes began in 1992, with the presence in the country of two American experts. He came to serve at least 300 people a year, and now has at least 160 regular patients. Many prefer not to attend the public consultation and some said the doctor, buy their own medication. The private clinic is not part of National HIV managed by the Ministry of Public Health, because officials believe the nursing home for profit. This prevents doctors prescribe medicine Vozandes of each State, so that many of his patients have opted to be treated in public hospitals. However. Proano says that in his comprehensive care and clinical care of opportunistic diseases is possible.

In any case, Proaño makes a diagnosis of the HIV situation in the country and identifies five challenges of the fight against the virus in our midst.

1. Achieving identify all cases

Proaño cites official statistics according to which, in the country at least 31,000 registered HIV cases. But it estimated that at least 10,000 more that are not declared and treated. Therefore, he thinks a first challenge is to ensure that all cases can be registered and that these people have access to treatment. Underreporting that would be produced in the country may be because many people do not seek medical attention for the effects of their idiosyncrasies and access to health centers. An estimated 31,000 of these people, at least 15,000 receive treatment from the State, and the remaining 16 at least 8000 find already at the stage of AIDS, while the other 8000 would without treatment,

It is estimated that these 31 people, at least 15,000 receive treatment from the State, and the remaining 16 at least 8000 find already at the stage of AIDS, while the other 8000 would without treatment.

The medication used in the country, says the doctor, is appropriate because it has managed to reduce viral load and is well tolerated in patients. National states, program is sufficiently provided with medicines at present, so that it can offer options for the treatment appropriate to each case. So far, new therapeutic options would not be needed in the country, although in the world market and in the United States and Europe are showing new drugs each year.

2. Education shall aim at prevention

To Proaño, it is necessary that sex education has a greater emphasis on prevention of HIV infection. In his opinion, in all levels of education sex education should include HIV as a sexually transmitted disease, something that has not been sufficiently delved into the subject curricula. He argues that in addition to providing condoms and other means of protection, it is preferable to avoid promiscuity. Thanks to the Internet, create Proaño, the greater the number of people who know that HIV is a manageable chronic enfermadad, and even in Vozandes clinic, patients who have survived 20 years the virus. Taking medication, good nutrition and healthy lifestyle, allow, says the doctor, the person does not suffer major alterations in their normal life. Even he believes that in our environment and is meant to be a comparable aa diabetes or chronic hypertension.

3. Achieve early diagnosis

Another challenge, says the doctor, is to increase early diagnosis. In your experience, early diagnosis does not exceed 20% of the cases. It should establish mechanisms to identify populations at risk and these groups oriented campaigns. You think that campaigns should be conducted in research centers and in the workplace, maintaining sufficient confidentiality. Currently, women embaradazas controls are to be performed at various stages of gestation address seeking a possible case to affect the fetus.

The doctor says that, at present, HIV is no longer restringuido homosexuality, and today the group primarily exposed to the virus in our midst are housewives.

4. Overcoming the stigma

In the physician’s experience, Ecuadorian society remains reluctant to overcome the discrimination against HIV. In private practice, he says, there are many people who have attended in search of greater confidentiality is offered by the public system. To Proaño, seek a comprehensive management of patients including psychological aspects. The doctor says that, at present, HIV is no longer restringuido homosexuality, and the group primarily exposed to the virus in our midst are housewives.

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5. Train medical professionals

Although the doctor said that because HIV is a chronic disease, you may be treated by primary care physicians. While specialist complicated stages of the disease may be an infectious disease, Proaño said more training to doctors in areas already established in the guidelines and protocols that have already been defined is necessary. Primary care physicians should be trained, as though newly graduated doctors have known about HIV, there are new graduate programs in family medicine in the country where already included the management of patients with HIV. However, he thinks that the Ministry of Health should create more training. Currently, says the doctor, you need teamwork. Read Article