One Day Meeting On Urgency to Introduce 2nd-Line ART Treatment For HIV+

[Guest guest]

A One Day Meeting to discuss the serious problem of drug resistance and

treatment failure from the First-line Antiretroviral Treatment being faced by

people living with HIV/AIDS was organized by the KIRAN Network, Voluntary Health

Association of Punjab & HRLN, Chandigarh for HIV positive persons from the

states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pardesh, and Chandigarh at Punjab Book

Center, Sector-22, Chandigarh on 14 th July, 2007.

About 30 participants representing states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pardesh,

and Chandigarh attended this meeting.

Meeting got started with an brief introduction about the issue and

participants introduction and problem being faced by them in their day to day

life. Apart from the ART Second Line Treatment other issues were also

deliberated. After this the technical session was undertaken by Dr. Ajay Wanchu,

additional professor, department of internal medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Further he explained the Technical, Physical, and Psychological Reasons and

effects of antiretroviral treatment and the need to start the complex 2 nd- line

therapy. He told that PLHAs' can delay their Second-line ART Treatment by

adhering properly to their First-line ART, and avoiding depression and staying

away from Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Addictions and taking nutritious food. He

also told that second-line ART Treatment is feasible if drug prices are lowered

by Indian companies manufacturing generic drugs, government can

negotiate lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, accept the offer of

donation from various funding agencies, he also agreed that government should be

approached for scrapping the excise and taxes on chemicals imported/used in

manufacturing second-line drugs so that the prices can be reduced.

Ms. Veena Kumari from Human Rights Law Network informed participants about the

pending PIL filed in Punjab and Haryana High Court on the demands of PLHA.

During the deliberations, participants came out with the following

suggestions.

1. Second Line Treatment should be started immediately by Government

to avoid imminent death of people facing First-line ART Treatment failure

2. Free travel schemes for PLHA to receive ART as being implemented in

Himachal Pradesh.

3. ART center in every district hospital with adequate and competent

staff.

4. Increase number of CD-4 testing machines and hours for base line

and CD-4 tests.

5. PLHA should be included in BPL Schemes like Anantodaya Ann-Yojna.

6. Divorced and abandoned HIV + women should be considered deemed

widows and provided widow pension and vocational training for capacity

building.

7. HIV+ Children/Orphans should be provided free education up to high

school and nutritious supplements.

8. HIV+ should be considered in disable category to avail the same

facilities.

9. Private Doctors treating HIV should be trained to provide quality

treatment to increase the scope of treatment services.

It was decided in the meeting to form a core group from participants to forward

and advocate the demands of PLHA to various concerned State

Governments. To take up the demands of PLHA it was decided to hold meeting at

the district level to carry forward this task with them also. It was also

decided to hold meeting within the coming 15 days in the district of Ropar and

Ludhiana and subsequently later on in other districts.

Manmohan Sharma

Sarbjit Singh

VHAP, Chandigarh

KIRAN Helpline

M: 09316066776

M: 9815397433

Sarbjit Singh

e-mail: <kiran14206@...>