Appeal to NACO to provide second line treatment

[Guest guest]

To

Dr. Sujatha K. Rao

Additional secretary & Director General

National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India

9th Floor, 36, Janpath. New Delhi

Sub: Appeal to provide Second Line Drugs under the National ART Programme

Dear Ms. Rao,

I write to you on behalf of Child Survival – india, a registered Non Government

organisation supporting health and development initiatives in impoverished

communities in North- West Delhi , since 1991.

As part of our community work, and with support from the Delhi State AIDS

Control Society, we are imparting information and services for HIV and AIDS

prevention to high risk groups in slum and relocated colonies around Narela

,Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, Holumbi Kalan, Naya Baans & Khera Khurd.

Alongside, we have been providing care and support to people living with

HIV/AIDS and families affected by HIV and AIDS in these areas, with the support

of the India HIV/ AIDS Alliance. Till date, we have assisted over 50 HIV

positive individuals through this community based care and support program and

have reached out to a total population of about 50000 truckers, migrant workers

and other risk groups.

One of our client is XXX, an HIV positive man who lives with his wife and two

children (aged 6 and 3 yrs) in an industrial area in North Delhi. XXX started

anti retro viral (ARV) medication in April 2002 at the All India Institute of

Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Later, he was shifted to the Government’s ART program

in Lok Nayak (LNJP) hospital and has been on the triple drug combination of

Stavudine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz since. On account of continued drug

adherence, XXX experienced a marked improvement in health and functional ability

and was able to return to work. In 2005, CSI provided him a small loan to

operate an STD Telephone Booth. He now earns an average monthly income of Rs

2,000.

Since the past six months, XXX has been reporting a steady and visible

deterioration in health. He has been suffering from chronic diahoerea and weight

loss. He is also reporting loss of vision, which doctors’ suspect is an

opportunistic infection of the retina. In May this year, XXX’s CD4 cell count

dropped to 52. According to his physicians, XXX is presenting signs of

“treatment failure” and is now in need of second line ARVs; currently

unavailable under the government programme. The medicines that will keep XXX

alive cost anywhere between Rs 5, 000 to 8,000 a month (depending on the

combination), a price that is almost four times of what he earns.

XXX must live, for his own sake and that of his family. As the country’s highest

authority on HIV/AIDS, we appeal to you to intervene and provide XXX the drugs

that he needs to stay alive. We also urge NACO to take cognizance of patients

like XXX across the country, who require or are likely to require second line

anti –AIDS drugs in the near future and take all necessary steps to ensure

uninterrupted treatment to people living with HIV.

Thank you,

Warm Regards,

Dr. Anil Kalia

President

Child Survival India

Child Survival India Delhi <csi_org@...>

______________________

Deepa Bajaj

Chief Executive

Child Survival India(An NGO in development)

33-C,Z-1. Dilshad Garden. Delhi-110095

Phone: 91-011-27844740;91-011-27844182

email : csi_org@...

website: www.childsurvivalindia.org