AHD and nutrition take center stage

Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) and nutrition are closely linked, as poor nutritional status can both worsen disease progression and increase vulnerability to opportunistic infections.

People with AHD often experience significant weight loss, malabsorption, and reduced appetite due to chronic infections and inflammation, which compromises their immune function further.

Immidex presents on Nutrition and AHD.

At the same time, HIV increases the body's nutritional needs while reducing the ability to absorb and utilize essential nutrients. This creates a vicious cycle where malnutrition accelerates immune decline, undermines treatment effectiveness, and delays recovery.

Therefore, in April 2025, during an AHD Regional Advocacy Meeting in Nairobi, stakeholders called for concerted efforts aimed at ensuring nutrition is incorporated in the AHD treatment cascade.

People must remember that when we speak of Nutrition in AHD, we mean someone who cannot swallow solids and is being managed clinically, not food security.

Noted Immidex Akinyi, AFROCAB Kenya Country Lead.

Meanwhile, Dr Sheila Fernandez of Penta, an international independent scientific network dedicated to child health, had this to say:

Many children in Sub-Saharan Africa are very sick with opportunistic infections and pneumonia. Early diagnosis is crucial to prevent mortality.