“Can I get ARV in Kachchh”?

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Dear Forum,

" Can I get ARV in Kachchh " ? Enquires Mr. Uma Sankar Pandey, President of Kachchh

Network of Positive People (Kachchh NP+).

Kachchh, the largest district of Gujarat is situated 300 Km away from the state

capital Ahmedabad. Few months back Uma Sankar was greatly relieved by the

announcement of ART center in Ahmedabad.

But, last month he had to travel 3 times from Gandhidham to Ahmedabad for

accessing ARV drugs because the only one ART centre in

the state at B.J.Meidical College was running short of the medicine

stock and he has been given medicines only for 10 days. It takes

seven hours one-way journey, costs at least one day lose of pay from

his company, and Rs500 on travel, Uma Sankar informed.

The Ahmedabad ART centre is running short of drug stock and around 146 people

are in the waiting list. It is reported that over1600 are receiving ARV from the

center and the functionaries have instruction from higher authorities to stop

further enrollments until they get a fresh instruction.

Every day four to six new eligible PLHA come to the centre from far ends only to

be turned away after getting their name registered in the waiting list.

" I don't understand the ARV targets NACO talking about, but what

makes me more difficult to understand is why it is so difficult for

the NACO to give us a public explanation what difficulty they are

facing in delivering us the medicine?

We have our own elected governments in place, tell us the reason we will try

demanding to solve those hurdles " says a defiant Uma Sankar Pandey.

Associate Policy and Advocacy Officer

National Policy and Advocacy Centre

Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+)

B5/140 Safdarjung Enclave. New Delhi 29

Tel:011 41354936, 37

Tel Fax: 011 41354938

e-mail: <awaazdho@...>