HIV patient denied drugs lifeline by Kolkotta NGO Rescue Centre

[Guest guest]

[Earlier also there are cases of this Kolkotta based NGO “ The Rescue Centre”

headed by Dr. Jack Preger abusing people living with HIV/AIDS and terminating

their medication citing non adherence.

/message/4967

This particular case further indicate the need for developing guidelines and

best practices for NGOs and private agencies offering ARVS for people living

with HIV/AIDS. Moderator]

HIV patient loses drugs lifeline

Sumati Yengkhom | TNN

Kolkata: Coming to terms with truth was hard enough. He has accepted the fact

that he is HIV positive, but now Subir Bhattacharya (name changed to protect

identity) is now confronted with another trial.

Bhattacharya has been denied the life-saving drug he was taking as a

part of second-line treatment by the very organisation that was

supporting him with free medication. Calcutta Rescue Centre, the NGO

giving him the medicines, says that Bhattacharya was not following the

drug regimen strictly.

“He was not taking the drug regularly. It is likely that he has

developed drug resistance. What is the use of spending Rs 9,500 on him

every month if there are doubts about the drug’s efficacy? There are

thousands of needy patients who can’t buy the drug. It is wise to spend on

them,” reasoned Dr Jack Preger, chairperson of the NGO.

Bhattacharya has been without anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs for nearly

two months now. Staring at death, the 40-year-old is searching for the

means to extend his life. “It is inhuman to snap drug support. I wish it to be

restored soon. If needed, I will opt for legal action,”

Bhattacharya said.

Bhattacharya, who is undergoing treatment at the School of Tropical

Medicine, tested HIV-positive in 1999. Doctors recommended second-line

ARV drugs 18 months ago.

Dr Subhasis Guha of STM recommended Bhattacharya’s name to Calcutta

Rescue Centre. Problems cropped up in January, when Dr Preger found that

Bhattacharya was not adhering to the drug regimen. Preger snapped all support

“HIV patients who are irregular in their medication develop resistance to drugs.

Such a patient needs to be put on the drug before

being tested for viral load. I have conveyed the urgency of

Bhattacharya’s case to Dr Preger. If the matter is not resolved soon, his

condition will deteriorate,” said Dr Guha.

Bhattacharya has approached West Bengal AIDS Control & Prevention

Society and the West Bengal Human Rights Commission for intervention.

Times Of India Kolkata; Date:Feb 20, 2007; Section: City; Page Number:5

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[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Re: /message/6926

This practice is not just very inhumane but also very unprofessional.

Most of us know the importance of adherence in ARV medication. We know that a

minimum of 95% of adherence is required in order to get maximum benifits from

our treatment.But on the other side, lets not forgot we are human and no matter

how religiously we try to adhere to our treatment, once in a while almost

everyone miss our doses.

I don't think that a responsible/professional Doctors will never stop ones

treatment because he/she is not adhere to prescribe regime. Instead a Doctors

will always tell the importance of adherence before

initiating the treatment and will continued to assess if his/her client

maintains good adherence.

In case if the doctors find out that the client is not properly adhering to the

medication, instead of simply stopping the medication, a good doctor will always

find out " How and Why " did his/her client is not adhering and they will try

another strategy to improve adherence but not stopping medication.

Stopping Bhattacharya's medication will not boost his CD4 count nor bring down

his Viral load, but improving his adherence will.

Loon Gangte

DNP+

e-mail: <dnpplus@...>