Free treatment for Bihar's AIDS patients

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Dear Forum

I would like to share News published in the daily Newspaper “The Times of India,

Patna Edition on dated 16th March 2005 regarding free treatment for Bihar’s Aids

patients.

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There is good news for those afflicted with Aids in Bihar. The National Aids

control Organization (NACO) has decided to provide free anti-retroviral

treatment (ART) to Aids patient of the state at the Patna Medical Collage

Hospital and Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur from

April 1.

Naco had started free ART of people afflicted with HIV/AIDS as part of its

care and support programme at eight centers in the country from April 1, 2004

which was later extended to 25 centers. More than 5,000 Aids of 13 states are

availing of the free ART facility.

Naco has now decided to set up more such centers in the country. The Bihar State

Aids Control Society (SACS) is planning to cover about 2,000 Aids patients by

starting free ART at the PMCH and SKMCH. Bihar and UP, which were earlier

considered to be “low prevalence states”, were reclassified by Naco as “highly

vulnerable states” in November 2004.

The number of HIV positive patients, according to a senior BSACS official, has

crossed the 6,000 mark in Bihar, while the official figure for Aids patient

stands at 165. The first HIV positive case in Bihar was reported from Nawada

district in 1992. So far 38 persons have died due t Aids in the state said

sources.

The BSACS official said for quick confirmation of suspected Aids cases, Naco

will supply CD4 machines soon to all the six government medical college hospital

of the state, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna and Rajendra

Memorial Research institute Agamkuan, Panta. The BSACS sent its list of demands

in this regard to Naco on March 12, he maintained, adding that a community care

center was established at the Nazarath Hospital at Mokama in Patna district in

February 2004.

Replying to a query, the official said an association of those afflicted with

HIV/Aids was formed in the state a few months ago. Although the official figure

for Aids cases still stands at 165, there is a strong possibility of a large

number of HIV positive cases developing into full-blown cases of Aids within a

year and hence Naco is making arrangement for providing free ART to at least

2,000 Aids patient at the PMCH and SKMCH, he added.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1052955.cms

Regards,

Pankaj Sinha

e-mail Pankajsinha88@...