Viral Load Testing Machine
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 19, 2014 -

Over ten thousand People Living with HIV (PLHIV) including around 4500 females are presently receiving Ante Retroviral Treatment (ART) at various health centres of Manipur.

Among them, 368 are male children and 348 are female children, while 54 belong to the transgender community, as per reports of September 2013 (VIHAAN project).

As many as 110 PLHIVs are on 2nd Line regiment of ART. The HIV epidemic has reached such an alarming situation, after the routine blood screening for HIV started in Manipur way back in 1986.

The first case of HIV infection in the state was reported in February 1990 from the blood samples collected from certain IDUs in October 1989.

During the span of around 25 years since the appearance of HIV and AIDS in the state, numerous young people had died immaturely leaving behind their spouses and children.

Hence, widows and orphans have multiplied their numbers during the last 1/2 decades. HIV infection among children was first reported in January 1994 and pediatric AIDS detected in February 1995.

In spite of the government and private initiatives to control the epidemic, the society has still been facing the consequences of the catastrophe.

However, new developments in the way of prevention and control of the disease have given hope to the thousands of people living with the virus. Care and treatment options have given a sigh of relief to the affected people.

For the thousands of people receiving ART treatment, testing of the ‘viral load’ in their body to monitor the progress of the disease or the treatment is highly necessary.

Only with the ‘Viral Load Testing’, we can confirm whether the treatmen given to a patient is progressive or not.

Hence, to cater to the requirement of ten thousand odd human beings, Manipur state needs to have a ‘Viral Load Testing’ machine.

Even the High Court of Manipur directed the concerned authorities in March last to provide the Machine for the needy people of Manipur.

Due to the efforts of certain NGOs, the government of India had promised to install one such machine at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

Officials from National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) had visited Imphal in the first week of June and assured the state agencies and RIMS to provide necessary kits for installation of a Viral Load Testing machine.

Thereafter, the manufacturer company of the said machine also sent its representatives to arrange for training the state technicians to handle the machine.

In spite of Court directives and the subsequent assurances given by the Government of India (Department of AIDS Control), the much needed ‘Viral Load Testing’ facility is yet to be installed in Manipur.

In the past, the State used to send blood samples of patients to NICED lab in Kolkata for Viral Load Testing. Unfortunately this has also been stopped from June of this year.

The State at this moment has 60 patients waiting for Viral Load Testing. Among them 45 patients are old cases and 15 are new.

Hence, in view of the dire need to install the machine in the state, the state government through the Health Department and Manipur AIDS Control Society need to pursue the matter with the government of India.

Apathy of the state agencies may discourage the PLHIVs in adhering to treatment for a meaningful life.