Category: HIV/AIDS

The United Nations has set targets to diagnose 90% of all people living with HIV by 2020. Currently, it is estimated that only 70% of people living with HIV know their HIV status. In order to fill the gaps, countries are looking for ways to rapidly increase access to and use of HIV testing services, especially for populations with low service coverage and at higher risk that would otherwise Would not carry out a screening test. One approach is HIV self-testing, which means that the person does the HIV diagnostic test and interprets the results in private. WHO has been working on HIV self-testing since April 2013. In 2016, WHO published the first global recommendations and guidelines for HIV self-testing.

Assessing nutritional health risks in HIV patients

health risks in HIV patients

Malnutrition is common in HIV patients due to the compromised immunity and resulting poor appetite (anorexia). Also, oral/gastrointestinal symptoms such as pain, nausea, vomiting, malabsorption , and diarrhea may arise from HIV infection, secondary infections, encephalopathy or drug therapies.

Inability to eat food secondary to complicated medical regimens or fatigue adds to the nutritional risk. these patients are prone to infections usually termed as opportunistic infections. Continue reading “Assessing nutritional health risks in HIV patients”