Re: Urgent issues to be addressed at ART centers

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Re: /message/7491

I feel very embarrassing to explain our own activities but no other

way to respond to the messages posted by TNP+.

I would like to inform the forum that our center (Salem) is

functioning from 8am to 5 pm with 15 staffs which includes a NGO

staff specially provided for Tamil Nadu Family Care continuum

services.

In our center we provide comprehensive services which

includes medical services, adherence counseling, pill counts, psycho

social counseling, ART counseling, nutritional counseling by

nutritionists and referral services with the help of a NGO placed at

ART center. Our center is very busy up to 5pm and nearly 200 to 250

patients visiting our center every day and availing all services

including medical services.

Mostly PLWHAs and referral NGOs will be hurry but we motivate PLWHAs and the

concerned NGO to avail all the services to ensure quality of services.

We have a separate pharmacy with ART and other OI drugs (Cotrimoxazole,

Flucanozole, Acyclovir, etc) which is functioning up to 5 pm. Notably we are

also giving OI drugs for one month. Guardian Preparation Counseling/NGO

referral, Missed ART patent identification are done at afternoon hours only/IP

patient discharge drugs given only in afternoon hours.

So to provide all these services to 200 to 250 patients per day will surely take

long hours up to 5pm and some time up to 7pm.

We do have separate IP care with two wards (One for male and one for

female) separately for ART adherence and OIs management with 21 beds.

We have two Nurse cum case managers appointed by TNFCC NGO are

assisting medical officers along with hospital nurses to ensure the

quality of services.

We also have a better coordination with other departments in GH and

PLWHAs were treated in Surgery, O & G, Pediatrics, Anesthesia,

Cardiology & Neurology/Ortho, IRCU and IMCU. PLHA came from other

District for our Quality.

For improving the coordination we have Local operation committee under the

chairmanship of DEAN which includes members from SNP+. This meeting will be

convened once in a month by a NGO placed at GH.

Finally I request TNP+ to clarify the issue with concerned local

authorities and positive newt work before posting generalized

messages.

Dr. L. Arunachalam,

Sr. Medical Officer,

ART center, Salem.

e-mail: <arun_loganathan@...>