Kachin State HIV Patients Face Growing Anxiety as ART Drug Supplies Dwindle

People living with HIV in Kachin State face growing anxiety as supplies of antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications drop to critical levels, according to local healthcare workers. Since August, clinics in townships including Myitkyina, Mohnyin, and Waingmaw have drastically reduced ART distributions. Patients previously received up to a three-month supply per visit, but now receive only five days' worth of medication. "We used to provide a three-month supply to each patient, but our inventory is running out," a local healthcare worker said. "We can only issue five days' worth now. We don't know when the next shipment will arrive, and patients are deeply concerned." The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that ART requires strict, long-term adherence. Frequent interruptions or missed doses can cause viral loads to spike, weaken immune systems, and lead to drug resistance. The sudden reduction creates severe logistical hurdles for patients traveling long distances from remote areas to collect their medications. At Myitkyina General Hospital, staff sttampts to mitigate shortages by providing temporary alternative medications meant to sustain immune function, according to a long-term ART patient. "The hospital told me the substitute drug works similarly to ART and that I could take it for a few days," the patient said. The current healthcare crisis stems in part from import restrictions on pharmaceuticals imposed by the military regime following the 2021 coup. Healthcare workers emphasize that uninterrupted treatment and prevention programs remain vital in Kachin State, which hosts large populations of migrant workers and drug users. Before the coup in 2020, more than 25,000 people in Kachin State were actively receiving regular ART treatment.