As China experiments with lockdowns to contain the novel coronavirus epidemic, nearly a third of people living with HIV are facing the risk of running out of essential drugs.  

Because of the travel restrictions in place for over a month, nearly 33 percent of HIV patients in China might run out of antiretroviral drugs in the coming days, according to a UNAIDS survey released on Wednesday.

The situation becomes alarming for HIV patients who traveled to their hometowns during the Spring Festival and couldn't return to their city of work where they were accessing HIV-related services.   

Furthermore, the epidemic has also led to overcrowding in many hospitals and medical staff are prioritizing COVID-19 patients, making it difficult for HIV patients to access medicine.

"People living with HIV must continue to get the HIV medicines they need to keep them alive," said Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS.

HIV patients are also facing high threat of being coinfected with the novel coronavirus. The fear of coinfection was also reflected in the UNAIDS survey. Eighty-two percent of respondents said they were aware of preventive measures required for COVID-19, and 90 percent said they needed more details on specific protective measures for people living with HIV.

UNAIDS has rushed supplies of protective equipment to organizations serving people living with HIV.

"We need to know how many people living with HIV are contracting COVID-19, whether people living with HIV are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 and, if they contract it, whether they are in greater danger from it—at this stage of the COVID-19 outbreak there are so many unknowns, said Byanyima.

"We must fill in the gaps in our knowledge, and fill those gaps in rapidly."

Concerned over the situation, the Chinese National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention has directed local health authorities to ensure the supply of medicine to non-resident people living with HIV. The center has also published lists of antiretroviral therapy clinics.

UNAIDS China and the BaiHuaLin Alliance of People Living with HIV have also initiated a joint action plan with their community partners. They are trying to contact HIV infected patients on the verge of running out of their medicine in the next 10–14 days. 

Applauding the government's action, Byanyima said, "We must ensure that everyone who needs HIV treatment gets it, no matter where they are."

More than 1,000 people living with HIV responded to the online survey carried out from February 5 to 10.

UNAIDS will also start another in-depth survey in partnership with the School of Medicine at Zhongshan University to understand issues that have a direct impact on HIV services.

(Top Image: Residents visit a pharmacy in Beijing, China on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. /AP)