Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 11:
A one-day training programme on �Dried Blood Spot collection and transport used in the infant diagnosis of HIV by DNA-PCR testing� was conducted at Jubilee Hall of RIMS today.
Organised by the Department of Microbiology, RIMS under the sponsorship of Clinton Foundation and Manipur State AIDS Control Society, the training programme was attended by Paediatricians/ Medical Officer, Laboratory technicians and nurses working in the PPTC Centres of all Districts of the State, RIMS and JN Hospital.
The main objective of the work was to facilitate diagnosis of HIV infected infants below 10 months by DNA-PCR testing by NACO Dried blood spot sample collection and transport, to train the participants who would be involved in the care of the HIV infected infants in DBS collection, proper storage, packaging and transport of the DBS to the centres of PCR testing so that PCR test can be done and diagnosis can be done, to supply DBS kits to all the centre and to enhance care and support for the HIV infected infants.
Academic Dean of RIMS Dr W Gyaneswar, Superintendent of RIMS Dr Mohen and Deputy Director of MACS Dr Premchand attended the inaugural function of the training programme as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Experts from Clinton Foundation Dr Samir and Regional Programme Manager of the Foundation M Sanatomba were resource persons of the training programme.
On the significance of the training programme, head of Department Microbiology of RIMS Prof Ng Brajachand Singh explained that DNA-PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing is essential to find out HIV infection on infants before attaining 18 months, thus removing all the inconveniences associated with earlier testing method practised only after the child attained 18 months.
Since the anti-body of the mother passes on to the child during birth, child born of HIV positive mother tested positive when the testing is conducted within 18 months of the birth.
However, after 18 months, the anti-body passed on from the mother dried up.
Only after the period, the HIV status of the child can be determined, he said.
Under the sponsorship of Clinton Foundation, NACO would be introducing DNA-PCR testing in some of the selected laboratories of the country.
So the first phase of the training programme has been conducted with the main objective of collecting the blood samples of the infants born of HIV positive mothers in Manipur, Dr Brajachand informed.
In connection with DNA-PCR testing, Deputy Director of RIMS Dr Premchand pointed out early determination of the HIV status of the infants would help in giving necessary treatment in time including administration of the required ARV drugs.