BHU ART centre helping HIV patients in a major way

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BHU ART centre helping HIV patients in a major way

Binay Singh, TNN, Sep 18, 2010, 10.58pm IST

VARANASI: It is perhaps the most disturbing moment for a person when he comes to

know that he is HIV positive. And, Varanasi is supposed to be one of the ma in

centres of HIV infected persons due to its migrant population.

" In Varanasi district alone, there are over 1,000 persons infected with HIV and

the number of such people goes above 11,000 in eastern parts of UP, " informed

secretary, Banaras Network of Positive People Living with HIV/AIDS Society

(commonly known as BNP+), Sunil Seth.

The network is spread over 30 districts of the state with active members to

motivate and help HIV persons to lead a purposeful life.

However, according to WHO report, over 34 million people are living with HIV and

AIDS across the world. India alone, with 2.3 million cases of HIV, has the third

highest number of HIV affected persons in the world.

According to the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), around 3,22,521

persons were taking treatment for AIDS by April 2010. And, to give a new lease

of life to such persons, the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre at the Banaras

Hindu University (BHU) is playing a remarkable role.

" So far, 11,321 HIV patients have been registered with the ART Centre, Institute

of Medical Sciences, BHU, " said Dr Jaya of the centre. " Around 4,500 patients

are living on therapy and get regular medicines, " she added. The ART at BHU is

one of the 10 centres of excellence in HIV care in the country and the only in

Uttar Pradesh, where the facility of second line drugs is available. It monitors

the activity of 11 ART centres in Bihar, UP and Madhya Pradesh. It is also a

training and research centre.

According to the doctor, those patients registered in ART centre of BHU, who

have completed six month's therapy and are stable and have increasing CD4 count,

can be referred to Link ART centres affiliated to BHU ART centre established in

the neighbouring districts of Ballia, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Mau, Sonebhadra,

Bhadohi, Chandauli and Azamgarh. They are basically drug distribution centres.

Beside the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) and Prevention of

Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) centre, Shiv Prasad Gupta District Hospital

Kabirchoura, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Regional Hospital Pandeypur and Central Jail

Hospital Sivpur are other centres where free HIV investigation is available

under NACO supervision.

The crux of the whole exercise is to protect precious human life. The doctor

says if by mistake one deviates and acquires this disease, he should not lose

courage. He should get investigated and should take proper medicine and advice

from the health personnel.

An early diagnosis of HIV status helps in preventing and significantly delaying

morbid conditions associated with HIV/AIDS. If the HIV-infected person is

irregular in time or quantity of the drugs, or he starts and stops the drugs

abruptly, the treatment becomes ineffective. The HIV infected person can live a

productive and healthy life if he takes care of his health, eating habits and

lifestyle.

Vital Facts

What is HIV?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus, which damages the body's immune

system by destroying CD4+lymphocutes. This CD4 cells help us to fight against

infections. Thus destruction of these cells by the virus leads to immune

deficiency and susceptibility to different infections.

How it spreads

HIV infection spreads through unsafe sexual contact, transfusion of infected

blood or blood products, sharing needles to inject drugs and from mother to

child during childbirth and breast-feeding. However, HIV does not spread through

mosquito bites, tear, saliva, urine, by embracing, casual kissing, hand shaking,

working together, taking bath or swimming together with HIV infected person.

In India, it is migrant population, truck drivers, community sex workers and IV

drug abusers who are affected. They, in turn, spread the disease to their wives,

children and clients.

Clinical presentation

Within a few weeks of being infected, some people get fever, headache, sore

muscles and joints, stomach ache, swollen lymph glands or a skin rash for one or

two weeks. Most people think it is flu.

After the initial illness, patients can remain symptom free for many years (3-10

years), as the CD4 cell count decreases and the immunity decreases the patient

first gets minor infection then the severity of infection increases. The last

stage of HIV infection is when the CD4 decreases below 200 per micro litre is

called AIDS when the patient may succumb to minor illness.

How to get tested

If any person wants to get himself tested for HIV, he should go to the

Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) which provides free testing and

counselling. The ICTC centres are present in every district hospital and medical

colleges. If a person tests positive, he is referred to the nearest

anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre.

Treatment

Once a person is infected with HIV virus, the virus can never be eliminated from

the body. However, there are drugs available that can suppress the level of

virus in the body. These drugs are available free of cost at all ART centres.

Every HIV positive patient may not be started on treatment immediately. The

treatment is started on the basis of CD4 count and stage of the disease. The

treatment, if started, has to be continued lifelong. It is extremely important

to adhere to the treatment so as to prevent failure of the drug regimen.

Where to go for treatment

The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) control programme in India through

35 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Societies and 269 ART centres throughout the

country. The ART centre at Sir Sunder Lal ( SSL) hospital of BHU provides free

HIV testing, treatment, counselling, nutritional advice and AVR drugs to the

registered patients.

(Source: Centre of Excellence/ART Centre, BHU)

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