G v Secretary of State for the Home Department (DR Congo)

(i) The letter at page B8 from Dr. F J Vilar, Consultant Physician, shows that she was diagnosed as being a HIV sufferer in April 2002, when her CD4 count was 210. The normal range is between 500 and 1500. Her main problem was bleeding - secondary to very low platelets (clotting cells). With treatment, her CD4 count increased to 320. According to the letter dated 5 th February 2003 (page B9), Dr. Vilar states that her CD4 count was slightly lower than previously, at 220. The letter from Dr. Vilar at page G1, however, indicates that her CD4 count in March 2002 was 492.

(ii) The Appellant is currently taking her second combination of drugs called Trizivir (Abacavir, Lamivudine and Zidovudine). She is already developing evidence of drug failure. This is very suggestive that she is starting to have virological failure. This would mean that she would need to have a complete switch of the drugs she is taking and commence her third combination . The time scale Dr. Vilar gives for the Appellant's switch to her third regime is before the end of the current year.

(iii) The drugs she is likely to need as her third combination will include medications such as Tenofovir, Kaletra and Didanosine.

(iv) As is so often the case with HIV sufferers, the medical evidence before us shows that the Appellant needs medication as well as specialist monitoring. She is more unfortunate. Dr. Vilar describes her as one of the unlucky patients who has developed drug failure.

(i) Dr. Vilar states (page G1) that he is not aware that the Appellant's second combination will be available anywhere in Africa and but states that Abacavir in particular will not be available.