Groups unite to boster battle against illness

A group of people in China living with HIV are providing a helping hand to patients who have come down with novel coronavirus pneumonia.

On hearing that the medication Kaletra, part of the antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV-1, had been used on some of those stricken by the epidemic, Andy Li, who is HIV-positive and lives in Zhengzhou, Henan province, decided to act.

"I have mobilized a civilian self-help campaign," Li said. "It isn't about HIV or any of us－we just want to help save some lives."

The 30-year-old has been on medication to treat HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, for eight years. For the past two years, he has run a drug-sharing network for HIV patients in China.

The central government provides free medication and treatment for those with HIV, so none of this medication is available for public sale. However, Li said that sometimes people are not able to collect their pills in time at local centers for disease control, or lose them while traveling.

It is vitally important that medication for HIV is taken regularly to avoid drug resistance, Li said, underscoring the need for those with the disease to have their pills every day.

Li, who goes by the online name "HIV Brother Squirrel", initially posted requests for pills on WeChat, gradually forming a group of volunteers in more than 12 cities nationwide who were prepared to donate any surplus supplies.

"Some people have stockpiled a little more medication than they need and some have changed to a different therapy. They have donated their surplus pills to us, so that we can provide prompt help to people in urgent need," Li said, adding that such action does not pose a health risk.

Those who received the pills often later send new supplies to Li by mail, enabling him to build up a stock of anti-viral medication and keep the network running.

When the novel coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, Hubei province, Li first tried to help those with HIV in the city store up their medication and obtain protective equipment, including face masks. He decided to act after hearing that Kaletra had been used to good effect in Bangkok, Thailand, on people infected with the virus.

On Jan 22, the National Health Commission of China launched the third-edition trial treatment protocol for novel coronavirus pneumonia. This treatment included the use of interferon along with Kaletra. It is part of the treatment protocol for HIV-1, and given free to patients in China. For the fourth-edition trial, it was recommended that use of Kaletra should continue.

On Feb 2, Zhang Dingyu, president of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, said at the news conference that the institution was the first in China to use Kaletra to treat patients with the virus. "It seems that Kaletra is effective on patients with early symptoms. It can help prevent the disease from becoming life-threatening, but stronger evidence of this is also needed," Zhang said.