HIV patient quits job as Thai social security won’t pay for drug
To save his life after living with the Aids virus for more than 20 years, Boriphat Donmoon, 47, decided to quit his job and terminate his healthcare coverage under the socialsecurity scheme because he could not access the antiretroviral drug atazanavir.
“I’ve been living without atazanavir for six months, as the hospital told me that patients under the Social Security Scheme are not eligible for the drug,” he said.
Previously, Boriphat received a combination of two antiviral medications, lopinavir and ritonavir, under the SSS but since these drugs increased the levels of fat and sugar in blood vessels, doctors recommended that he take the secondline drug atazanavir, which has fewer side effects.
But when he went to hospital to receive atazanavir, staff would not dispense the drug to him, saying the SSS would not cover it.
