Patients left in the lurch as AIDS drug supply runs dry

March 7, 2011

Arun Sharma/Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 6

Hundreds of patients afflicted with AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)

(AIDS) have been put in a tight spot after stocks of the vital medicine

Zidolam-N (a three-drug combination), which is administered as the first line of

treatment, became exhausted at the PGI. Almost two-thirds of the patients

visiting the anti-retroviral therapy centre at the hospital require this

medicine, which costs Rs 1,700 for a dose for one month. However, the drug is

provided free of cost by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).

Though no fresh figures on patients visiting the anti-retroviral therapy centre

are available, according to the NACO website a total of 1,309 patients were on

the list of this centre two years ago in March 2009. Enquiries revealed supplies

of the drug had been dwindling for the past two months due to which the quantity

being provided to the patients has been reduced. The patients were being issued

a dose of two months in one go so to do away with frequent visits to the centre

to procure the medicine. After supplies of the medicine began decreasing the

patients were issued half of this quantity, which in effect meant a dose for

only one week before the hospital stopped providing the drug altogether on

Thursday. However the shortage has brought worries to poor patients who cannot

afford the high cost of treatment with a meager income.

Rani (name changed), a resident of Dhanas village, said her husband who was a

truck driver died of AIDS two years ago, leaving her infected with HIV and two

children to look after. Now she is selling vegetables to make ends meet and has

been asked by officials at the anti-retroviral therapy centre at the PGI to

purchase the costly drug from the market. Santosh (name changed), a resident of

Sector 30, has the same tale of woes to narrate. Her husband, a rickshaw puller,

died of the disease when she was also confirmed to have been afflicted with

AIDS. Now she cannot even imagine being able to afford the drug needed for her

treatment since she earns only Rs 1,000 a month as a domestic servant.

When contacted PGI spokesperson Manju Wadwalkar said the anti-retroviral therapy

centre was being run by NACO and there was a shortage of supplies of anti-AIDS

drugs throughout the country. " Patients are being advised to take an alternative

drug needed for treatment which is available at the centre. However, those who

insist upon the same combination drug have been told to buy it from the open

market " , she added.

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