Government officials might be presenting to the public a very successful HIV treatment programme, but it is now emerging that they are finding it difficult to cope with the increasing number of people coming onto to the treatment program.

Senior government officials confided that they are unable to offer steady supply of antiretroviral drugs to those who need them as the numbers are overwhelming.

In 1999 when James Onyango walked into his doctor’s clinic and was told that he might have to start taking antiretroviral drugs, he knew he was a dead man. Earning a modest salary, it was not going to be possible for him to raise over Sh 60,000 required for a monthly dose of the drugs.

He left the doctor’s place heartbroken, having resigned to fate. Death for him was just around the corner.

After many years of what seems like an endless search for an HIV vaccine, a group of scientists are now pushing for drugs that could prevent HIV transmission upon exposure to the virus.

The Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) drug works on the premise that any person who suspects they might be at risk of contracting HIV can use specific HIV drugs to reduce chances of being infected.

Numerous microbicidal products, designed to be inserted into the vagina and or rectum prior to sexual intercourse for the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections are still being developed.

A few years ago women had been given hope of protecting themselves from HIV infection by use of microbicides.