Assam ART Center

[Guest guest]

Dear friends

Its realy sad to write in this fourm that in Assam for the last almost 15th days

no ARTs are provided through the ART center.

When ever we spoke with NACO and ASACS they infromed us that with in two days

you get ARTs in your center. Many people buy ART from paying from their poket.

Many of them do not have money to buy the drugs and they stop medicine and

waiting for supply.

Stavudine 40mg , lamivudine 150mg, nevuropine 200mg are not in the state ART

center in Assam.

Regards,

Janabi

President

Assam Network of people living with HIV/AIDS

e-mail: <jahnabig@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

I am aware of this problem at 2-3 centres and have been in touch with supplier

of 40mg combination of stavudine. I have informed Jahanabi and the SACS that

these drugs have been dispatched and will reach Guwahati this week positively.

I would like to clarify that out of eight ARV drugs/combinations supplied by

NACO, except 40 mg stavudine based, all other are available.This combiantion

,which is used for patients with more than 60 kg weight, became short as many

patients who were on 30 mg stavudine combinations gained weight and were shifted

to 40 mg combination. Based on this years experience, the relative proportion of

40 mg combinations has been incresed from existing 10% of total to 15% supply

with a provsion for further 15% increase in case these also fall short.

Increasing proportions beyond these levels can result in excess stock and expiry

of 40mg combinations as most of patients weigh less than 60 kg . We have infact

been shifting drugs from centres with excess

stock to centres with deficiency. Also the Guwahati centre was almost stagnant

on new patients for many months and has recently picked up on new patients and

things have been streamlined to great extent.

Regards

Dr B B Rewari

NACO

e-mail: <drbbrewari@...>