Farmers Feed HIV Drugs to Chickens, Investigation Reveals

An investigation has uncovered an illegal practice in Zimbabwe’s poultry sector: farmers are buying antiretroviral drugs meant for HIV patients and mixing them into chicken feed to reduce bird deaths and boost production, iHarare News reported. The scheme diverts life-saving medication from those who need it. Medical authorities condemned the practice, warning it could spawn drug-resistant HIV strains and exacerbate medicine shortages. The investigation found that ARVs are being sold on the black market, with farmers exploiting weak regulatory oversight. The practice also poses unknown risks to consumers of the poultry. The scandal exposes a dangerous regulatory vacuum where the pursuit of profit overrides both human health and food safety standards, with authorities slow to respond.