Chennai: Screening of HIV positive persons begins for second line drugs

[Guest guest]

Screening of HIV positive persons begins for second line drugs

Ramya Kannan

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu, one of the two centres that will provide second

line anti- retroviral drugs as a pilot project, has begun screening

of positive people who have become resistant to the first line drugs.

While first line drugs are being provided free of cost through ART

centres throughout the State, positive people's networks have been

demanding that the government also provide second line drugs to those

who have progressed to drug resistance. With the market price of

second line drugs still high, most people who require second line

drugs are unable to procure them. It is estimated that between two

and three per cent of people on ARVs are resistant and would require

the second line of drugs.

As part of the third phase of the National AIDS Control Programme,

two centres have been selected to provide second line ARV drugs – one

each in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Good ARV delivery

The Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine in Tambaram, one of the

first centres to provide ARVs through the government service, is the

nodal centre in the State. Sujatha Rao, Director, National AIDS

Control Organisation, said Tambaram was chosen as they have been good

at ARV delivery and has had a good patient adherence rate (patients

continuing treatment without dropping out).

Tambaram GHTM Superintendent S.Rajasekaran said screening of positive

persons has already begun, in association with the Tuberculosis

Research Centre. The drugs will be provided beginning second and

third week of January. Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society

(TANSACS) project director Supriya Sahu said only those who have had

continuous treatment at Tambaram for the past six months would be

considered for the second line.

Out of the 3000 people on ARV treatment in Tamil Nadu, it is expected

that 300-400 patients will require second line treatment,

Dr.Rajasekaran said. Tambaram itself will provide treatment to 100 of

these people. " It is easy for us to screen people, because we have

been treating them for the last three and a half years and we know

who is likely to fall in the category, " he added.

Campaign

Illango Ramachander, former president of the Indian Network of

Positive Persons, has spearheaded a campaign to get the government to

provide ARVS. He is glad that the community's long pending demand has

come through, but has moved on to analyse the problems that might

crop up. " They have said initially two centres will be started. I

suggest that it should not be State-bound. It should be looked at as

a national programme. "

" We are glad that the government has overcome its mental block about

providing second line drugs, " says INP+ president K.K.Abraham.

Padmaja and her family have been waiting for this for a long while.

Her husband and daughter are now on second line treatment and the

expenses have been mounting. She has managed to find a sponsor for

her daughter's drugs through the organisation she now works for –

Positive Women's Network.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/03/stories/2008010353370400.htm