AIDS Body Rules Out Drug Scarcity

October 18, 2007

Date: Oct 18, 2007;

Section: Times City; Page: 6

This is with reference to the report, `Drug scarcity hits AIDS

programme', which appeared in the edition dated October 17, 2007,

alleging scarcity of ART drug supply at ART centres.

Whenever a person is found to be HIV positive, he is referred to an

ART centre where he is `registered' in pre ART care. Then he

undergoes different investigations, including a marker called CD4

cell count, which determines whether a person is to be started on ART

or not.

If CD4 cell count (blood test) is less than 200 cells/cmm, only then

is the person to be started on ART as per national & WHO treatment

protocols. Those with a CD4 count more than 200 are kept on follow-up

and CD4 count is repeated every six months to determine his

requirement of ART.

Since launch of ART services in the nine hospitals referred to in the

report, of the 5478 patients ever started on treatment with ARV, only

448 have died, 406 have been transferred out to centres nearer to

their residences and 705 patients are actually lost to follow-up.

Delhi has been given ARV drugs for 5,710 patients for 2007-08. There

are at present 3,611 patients receiving ART. Hence there is no drug

scarcity as reported.

Nationally, 280,000 patients are `registered', of whom 105,000

patients are on ART. All patients who require ART as per treatment

protocols are getting it and there is no waiting for ART drugs.

Dr D Bachani

Joint Director,

National Aids Control Organisation

_______________________

" Dr. Cthangsing " <chinkholal.thangsing@...>

Recommended Posts