Maharashtra State AIDS society plans package for affected kids in Nagpur, Sangli

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Maharashtra State AIDS society plans package for affected kids in Nagpur, Sangli

Anuradha Mascarenhas Thursday , Apr 01, 2010 at 0240 hrs Pune:

Even as the state mulls over a proposal for free bus passes for patients living

with HIV/AIDS, the Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) has planned a

comprehensive package of services for children affected with HIV/AIDS in Sangli

and Nagpur districts.

This is part of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)'s pilot project in

ten districts across the country where various services will be provided to

children affected by AIDS (CABA) in order to sustain them, Ramesh Deokar,

Project Director of MSACS told The Indian Express.

While the details of the project are being worked out, Deokar said that the

network of people living with HIV in Maharashtra (NMP+) and Avert society will

be involved in the CABA project in Sangli and Nagpur districts. India is home to

2.5 million HIV/AIDS patients, including over 70,000 children below the age of

14.

According to Dr B B Rewary, national programme officer of Anti-Retroviral

Treatment (ART), a total of 3.74 lakh people are on first line drugs for

treatment of HIV while a total of 1042 have been put on second line drugs.

Rewary said that a review will be conducted in April of the ten centres which

are providing second line drugs before expanding the programme. NACO is also

planning to roll out early infant diagnosis at 700 integrated counselling and

testing centres across the country.

Deokar further pointed out that in Maharashtra there were a total of 19,000

children living with HIV. The CABA project aimed at sustaining such children by

taking care of their nutrition and providing other support activities. Presently

the facility of Drop in centres for PLHAs has been upgraded in various

districts, he said.

Meanwhile the NMP+ has submitted their memorandum of demands to the state

transport minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to issue free of cost bus pass to

the People living with HIV (PLHA).

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aidssocietyplanspackageforaffectedkidsinnagpur\

-sangli/598524/0