News: Look out for alternatives to ARVs

May 7, 2006

Special Correspondent: The Hindu, Kerala

KOCHI: People living with HIV/AIDS should pay special attention to prevention

and treatment of tuberculosis and other opportunistic diseases as part of their

life-extending strategies, according to Bobby Ramakant, AIDS Care Watch campaign

coordinator.

Mr. Ramakant told The Hindu that in view of the high cost and Governmental delay

in the delivery of the life-extending anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs, the AIDS

patients should look out for other options. Among these are good nutrition,

prevention/treatment of TB and developing a care-and-support system. They could

seek traditional healing and treatment approaches.

Mr. Ramakant, who was in Kerala recently, conducted a discussion on `Preventing

needless deaths from HIV' at the Sexuality and Human Rights Institute in

Kottayam.

He pointed out that anti-retroviral therapy was a crucial line of defence, but

at the same time, it was not readily accessible for all. Because of this, the

patients should look out for other alternatives.

Good nutrition and prevention/treatment of TB were crucial. The patients should

be particularly careful about catching opportunistic infections, he said (When

the body's immune system is damaged, several infections take advantage of the

opportunity and flourish; hence, such infections are called `opportunistic

infections.' HIV progressively damages the afflicted person's immune system).

In India, promoting food security and provision of micronutrients was very

important, he said.

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