Mpox patient with HIV infection struggling for life as antiviral drugs not available

ISLAMABAD: An Mpox patient who is also infected with HIV is struggling for life at the Infectious Diseases Ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Islamabad as antiviral drugs for the treatment of Mpox (formerly Monkeypox) are not available in the country.

“We are facing difficulties in the treatment of a 40-year-old male, who has both HIV and Mpox infections. It is Pakistan’s first case where a patient has both infections simultaneously.

We are giving antiretroviral medicines for treatment of HIV but we don’t have antiviral medicines for the treatment of Mpox”, Prof. Nasim Akhtar, head of infectious diseases at PIMS Islamabad told The News.

It is the seventh positive case of Mpox in Pakistan, Dr. Nasim Akhtar said adding that all the patients who have tested positive for Mpox came from Saudi Arabia.

She said they needed ‘tecovirimat and cidofovir’ for the treatment of Mpox infection as the patient was in critical condition due to HIV infection and added that the patient has extensive skin and oral lesions due to ongoing Mpox viral infection.

“We have asked the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide us the antiviral medicines for the patient but so far we haven’t received the drugs”, Dr Akhtar said adding that they had made a special request to WHO country representative Dr Palitha Mahipala to help with the antiviral medicines.

Pakistan detected its first Mpox case in April this year when two people from Saudi Arabia tested positive for the infectious disease, officials said adding that seven people have so far been tested for Mpox, of which six have recovered without any complications.

Dr Nasim Akhtar said the patient with dual HIV and Mpox infection badly needs antiviral medicines and urged the government to ensure the availability of the much-needed latest antiviral medications.

On the other hand, the Federal Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHS,R&C) appointed Dr Nasim Akhtar as the head of the newly established Department of Infectious Diseases at PIMS.

Though functioning since 2016, it has only now been notified as a dedicated department which will work for antimicrobial stewardship and infection control, Dr. Nasim Akhtar said.

TPakistan Institute of Medical Sciences is the first public sector hospital where the Infectious Diseases Department is working. It is now approved by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan for fellowship in infectious diseases, Dr. Nasim Akhtar said adding that three registered fellows are about to finish their training.