Source: Hueiyen News Service / Lenin Wangkheirakpam
Imphal, December 06 2009:
Even as the Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) set up various Link Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) centres with the intention to minimise the problems faced by the people living with HIV/AIDS in the states, HIV/AIDS patients have continued to face problem in their efforts to get second line ART and first line alternative.
Source available with this reporter said that 36 HIV/AIDS patients and 3 persons have been availed second line ART and first line alternative facilities.
The people needing facilities of second line ART and first line alternative have been increasing day by day.
As the guidelines laid down by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in this regard are not strictly abided in the state, many people living with HIV/AIDS are left in the lurch.
According to the instruction of NACO, the State AIDS Clinical Expert Panel (SACEP) would collect the statistics of people living with HIV/AIDS who need second line ART.
Persons who regularly take second line ART for two consecutive years, people living below poverty line, women and children, and persons whose viral load reaches 10,000ml should be given facility of first line alternative.
According to the 4th phase of the clinical stage of the World Health Organisation (WHO), opportunistic infectants should be provided second line ART even if their viral load is below 10,000ml.NACO guidelines laid down that NACEP should convene a meeting every Tuesday.
In case a Tuesday happens to be a holiday, the meeting should be conducted the next day.
If the members present are below 15 then the meeting should be postponed for the next week.
The meeting cannot be deferred for more than a week.
These guidelines are framed with the objectives to provide treatment to patients without delay.
The NACO guidelines are not implemented in the state, the source said.
Meetings are said to be deferred anytime it has been convened.
The source added that the SACEP should at least provide second line ART and first line alternative to the people needing the treatment.