Assam: Free travel support to the PLHIV on ART

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM

Attached file carried a great news for all of us. Assam Government has declared

the free travel support and free testing facilitiesw for PLHIV on ART. The news

clipping is revealing each and every word my the honorable Chief Minister of

Assam and Health Minister of Assam. Hope this will give us one step ahead

positive response.

Parag M Dutta

Program Coordinator

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Assam Network of Positive People (ANP+)

Nilomoni Phukan Road

House No 24, 2nd floor

Christian Basti, G.S.Road

Guwahati - 781005

Ph: +91 361 2343222 (O), +91 9435191590 (M)

Mail to: anpplus.assam@...

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Steps on to combat AIDS in State

City reporter

GUWAHATI, Dec 1 – “Out of the total 9,000 people feared infected with HIV/AIDS

in the State, 6,000 still remain undetected, probably unaware of their status

and posing a great challenge for the State,” said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on

the occasion of World AIDS Day today.

While announcing a number of facilities for the treatment of the persons living

with HIV/AIDS, he said that people should come forward for voluntary testing and

counseling centers, so that his or her life can be saved by early intervention.

Till date total 2,916 persons have been detected as HIV positive in the State,

out of which total 805 cases have been detected as fullblown AIDS cases till

October, 2008.

The slew of schemes the Chief Minister announced today includes five new linked

Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Centres at Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Bongaigaon

civil hospitals and at CRPF hospital at Kamrup (Metro), free transportation and

laboratory tests for ART patients and opening up of a Community Care Centre at

Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh.

The anti-retroviral therapy, considered as the most effective medication helping

the persons leaving with HIV/AIDS to lead a normal life for a longer period of

time, was started at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in 2005. The

therapy is now being provided in the Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh and

Silchar Medical College also with the facility of CD4 counting, which determines

the status of a person living with HIV.

While addressing the gathering at a function organized by the Assam State AIDS

Control Society at Rabindra Bhawan here today, the Chief Minister said that

unlike in the past, the stigma attached to AIDS/HIV infected persons have been

slowly done away with. “There was a time when patients afflicted with AIDS/HIV

were discriminated against with doctors reluctant to treat them. But now the

scenario has changed for the good,” he said, adding that the stigma has to be

completely done away with so that patients could lead a normal life in society.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Himanta Biswa

Sarma, said that the increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases in Assam shows the

increasing awareness among the people regarding the HIV/AIDS testing.

“Our aim now is to identify all the HIV/AIDS-afflicted people in the State so

that their treatment can be started soon as well as the spread of this virus

among others can be checked,” he added.

He further lauded he efforts of the State AIDS Control Society which is working

in tandem with other organizations to spread awareness on AIDS, its control and

prevention among the masses through various campaigns and meetings.

Earlier, project director, Assam State AIDS Control Society J. Shyamala Rao,

while outlining the various initiatives of the organization to combat AIDS in

the State, said there has been a rise in the number of people coming in for

tests at the Integrated Counseling and Testing Centres at medical college

hospitals and other health institutions in recent years. “It augurs well as

people are breaking out of social taboos largely due to awareness campaigns in

combating HIV/AIDS,” he added.

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=dec0208/at08