Hubli: HIV patients let down by ART centre

August 25, 2010

HIV patients let down by ART centre

Basavaraj F Kattimani, TNN, Aug 24, 2010, 11.27pm IST

HUBLI: HIV patients who come to the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre at the

district civil hospital in Dharwad are up against appalling apathy. When the

centre opened two months ago with much fanfare, it offered some hope to patients

from the villages of Navalgund, Kalghatgi, Dharwad and other taluks of the

district.

Sadly, the centre hasn't become fully operational. It still doesn't have a

CD4-machine (which determines the strength of the immune system) to determine

the precise course of treatment and there is no experienced doctor on call.

While the centre has a staff nurse, technician and pharmacist, the blood samples

are still being sent to KIMS in Hubli.

HIV patients allege that new HIV cases are not being handled here but sent to

KIMS hospital.

Only HIV patients referred here are given medicines as per the advice of senior

KIMS doctors. The staff are not trained to handle HIV cases.

Suresh (name changed), an HIV patient from Dharwad, complained of a doctor's

negligence at ART: " I had to suffer a lot after the haemoglobin count in my

blood went down drastically.

The ATR centre staff didn't take me seriously and I was given some general

medicine. After my condition became serious, I was advised to go to KIMS for

blood transfusion on the advice of a KIMS doctor, " he said.

Dr Achhut, in-charge of civil hospital, Dharwad told TOI the ART centre doesn't

yet have the requisite equipment to test and treat HIV patients. " Though we have

a doctor at the centre, we're only providing medicines and treatment to the

patients referred by KIMS.

In the next six months, this centre will definitely be a full-fledged one and

provide better service. We're also awaiting for the CD4 machine to be

installed. "

toiblr.reporter@...

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