CD4 Test Guidelines and the Death of PLHA

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum members,

KALINGA NETWORK FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS (KNP+), ORISSA wants to bring to

the kind attentions of NACO,Orissa SACS and other concerned people of Orissa

towards the People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Orissa, that one of our

member Bibhuti Biswal passed away day before yesterday(on dt.07.11.07)on the

platform of Berhampur Railway Station on the way for his CD4 test report from

MKCG Medical Cokkege ART Center, Berhampur.

Three months before Biswal was in a long queue for his CD4 test at MKCG Medical

College. On date 23,10.07 he got his chance to give his blood for CD4 test

count.

But due to his illness and poor economical conditions he was unable to go for

his CD4 test report. So he gave his consent to KNP+ to bring his CD4 test report

from ART center,Berhampur. Seeing the conditions of the members who were

similarly placed, KNP+ wrote a letter to the counselor of ART Center to hand

over he CD4 testing report of our five members to our DIC project (which is

funded by OSACS) field worker.

But the ART Center Counselor Mr. Bimalendu Pattnaik and Dr.Premananda Patnaik

refused to handover the CD4 testing report and told that according the

Guidelines of NACO the patient has to physicaly come for his/her CD4 report.

They refused to acknowledge the condition of the patient.KNP+ then wrote a

letter to the PD,OSACS to give urgent attention about this problems of PLWHA.

But there was no attention from anybody. At last Biswal was bound to go with his

severe illness for his CD4 test report from Berhampur, 300 km. from his house.

He was unable to stand up straightly. So KNP+ send the DIC counselor wih him for

his support. After receiving his low CD4 (68) report he was asked to come next

day for ART after doing the prescribed local tests. So he was returning back to

Bhubaneswar.

But he died on the Berhampur Railway Station after the blood vomiting.

Not only B.Biswal but also lot of people in Orissa are dying due to

the wrong system and guidelines of NACO. PLWHAs are unable to come for their CD4

test three to four times from long distances due to their illness and economical

conditions.

ART centers are also not accepting he private CD4 testing report.

In Orissa there is only one ART Center but there is no CD4 testing machine.

Twenty to twenty five blood samples are sending per month

to the School of Tropical Medicine,Kolkata.

Govenment and NACO keeps telling that they are providing free CD4 testing. But

actually PLWHAs are paying more and manytimes paying their lives for free CD4

testing.

Wheather the system and guidelines are made for saving the lives of PLWHAs or to

killing them ?

If NACO is unable to provide CD4 machine for Orissa then then NACO

should change their guidelines for Orissa.

Since last one months HIV testing kits are not availble in Orissa.

People are waiting anxiously to know about their HIV status after giving their

blood before one month.

There are lot of problems faced by the PLWHA of Orissa, what are the solution

for these problems ?

With regards

Er.Ajay Patra

President,KNP+,Orissa

Email ID: knpplusorissa@...

Contact no:09861145080

" Kalinga Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Orissa KNP+ " e-mail:

<knpplusorissa@...>