A status update and view on: Pharmacist Initiated Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (PIMART)
Abstract
Effective and sustainable HIV/AIDS interventions and programmes supplying antiretroviral therapy (ART) are fundamental in reducing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection rates and managing the health of those living with HIV/AIDS.1 Due to the country’s high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and to address the challenge of expanding the delivery of ART programmes, the National Department of Health (NDOH), felt the public needed to have increased access to ART for the purposes of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post exposure prophylaxis (PEP). It is against this background as well as through the interest of pharmacists and pharmacy associations, that the idea of Pharmacist Initiated Management of Antiretroviral therapy (PIMART) supplementary training and certification was developed. PIMART is also in line with South Africa’s public health commitment to reach the World Health Organization (WHO) and Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 95-95-95 targets, and upscaling our interventions to reduce HIV infections. According to the WHO, by 2025, 95% of all people living with HIV should have a diagnosis, 95% of whom should be taking lifesaving ARVs, and 95% of people living with HIV on treatment should achieve a suppressed viral load for the benefit of the person’s health and for reducing onward HIV transmission.2
