Single Dosage HIV treatment: South Africa has millions of people living with HIV.  Thus far the treatment offered to HIV positive patients has been expensive and patients were administered several antiretroviral tablets a day.

The South African government’s HIV treatment campaign has received a tender award for a single-dose HIV tablet instead of three retroviral tablets per day.  This reduces the expense for HIV treatment and patients only require one antiretroviral tablet daily.

The antiretroviral treatment ingredients are Tenofovir, Entricitabine and Efavirenz which were administered individually.  Now the same combined treatment is available as a single-dose to HIV positive people.  The Fixed Dose Combination which is also referred to as FDC has shown a positive response from patients receiving the new form of treatment.   Clinical tests reveal that the FDC would increase positive results from the medication and minimise the spread of HIV.

The simplicity of the single-dose HIV drug makes it easier for doctors and pharmacists to prescribe, dispense and monitor the newly available medication for HIV positive people.

The first-line fixed-dose combination retroviral drug is supplied to communities and people in need of treatment.  It is government funded and therefore easily accessible to HIV positive people.  People living with HIV will benefit by remembering to take one tablet a day as opposed to taking three or more.  Other benefits include fewer side effects and the tablets are easily swallowed.  These benefits will in turn encourage patients to stay on their medication.

The single-dose drug has been administered to HIV positive women who are pregnant and breastfeeding.  The drug is also provided to patients new to antiretroviral medication and to HIV positive patients with Tuberculosis.

Antiretroviral treatment has lowered the transmission of HIV from mother to baby.  People living with HIV and who take their antiretroviral treatment regularly have had an increase in life expectancy.

In the past several tablets were given to HIV patients to control the disease.  Now HIV positive people have the opportunity to use a single-dose drug with the same benefits.  It is cheaper for the government to supply first-line fixed-dose combination retroviral drug to HIV patients.  This makes provision to treat more people living with HIV.

Millions of people in South Africa are HIV positive but they can still have a good life. Single-dose antiretroviral medication has provided HIV positive people with a new opportunity to live their life to the fullest.