Around 28,000 people taking ART medicine in Kachin State facing drug shortage due to transportation difficulties

It has been learned from an official serving in the State AIDS Control Department (NAP) that around 28,000 people taking ART medicine in Kachin State are facing a drug shortage due to difficulties in transporting medicine caused by the poor condition of the roads. The official stated that the situation is due to the difficulty in transporting medicine from the central ART drug storage to Kachin State. "The roads are not good, so we have to rely on air transport. Since we are using only air transport for delivery, the flights are also not convenient. Previously, we could provide a three-month supply per person. Now, we are only able to provide a supply for 3 days, 7 days, or 10 days. Those who live far from the clinic are facing difficulties. Some townships where transportation is difficult have closed their ART clinics, and people are unable to come and take their medicine," he said. A person taking ART medicine in the upper Sagaing region said, "It is inconvenient because I have to go to Mandalay because receiving medicine in the Mohnyin area is not convenient. It is far." It is known that there are about 10,000 people taking ART medicine in Myitkyina Township, Kachin State, and although ART medicine can be ordered with difficulty from outside, the market price for one box, which is a one-month supply, is 150,000 kyats. According to reports released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022, it is estimated that around 280,000 people in Myanmar may be infected with HIV.