Ref: 'Calcutta Resque' Dr assaults +ve person.

[Guest guest]

In the first instance, I would like Dr. Sharma to withdraw the

comment re " nine rogues in India for one genuine person... "

As the principle of " nine rogues " could apply anywhere in differnt

contexts, and actually such sweeping deregetory generalisations

are best avoided in public forums.

I think as the Forum raised it, the issue here is whether someone

who is already getting ART through a service provider be removed

from the provider's list?

That could actually medically mean encouraging resistant strains of

HIV to develop. We all know that more than 95% ART compliance is

required to prevent developing of resistant strains of HIV in any

PLWHA

So, if someone receiving ART stops getting the drugs suddenly s/he

may develop drug resistance and at a later time may have to start

with second line medication that may be more expensive, more toxic

and more difficult to obtain regularly.

So in such cases, the organisation providing ART has an ethical

responsibility not to stop ART supply to the PLWHA - even if they

come to know later on that the PLWHA in question is availing free

services when s/he can pay.

This, of course has to be tempered with realities as well, and at

the end, sorry as I am to say this, it is the organisation's

responsibility to have its systems well in place to prevent misuse

of services and to have ways in which people who can pay are guided

to other reliable ART services.

In solidarity,

Amitrajit Saha

E-mail: <amitrajitsaha@...>