Imphal, October 29: Stressing on the need to modify the existing norm for providing ART facility to HIV positive patients, ART in-charge of JN Hospital Dr Priyokumar has opined that more number of HIV positive people in Manipur would come out voluntarily to seek help if the testing of CD4 count is conducted free of cost and ART drug provided to those with CD4 250 instead of the current norm of CD4 200 and below.

Speaking as a resource person in the one-day advocacy meeting in response to drug and HIV/AIDS at Hotel Excellency here today, Dr Priyokumar said according to the guidelines of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), drugs of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) is currently given to HIV positive patients with CD4 200 and below.

The guidelines of NACO need to be modified in view of the fact that patients with CD4 count above are also equally vulnerable to opportunistic infection (OI) and other health complication, he said, while explaining that as the CD4 count of a patient decreases the chances of getting OI is more and vice-versa.

Therefore arrangement should be made to extend ART drugs to patients with CD4 250 atleast, apart from conducting test for CD4 count free of cost, he said, adding that many of the patients could not even afford to undergo the test for CD4 count as it is very expensive.

Dr Priyokumar further disclosed that only around 5000 HIV positive patients in Manipur are currently being provided ART facilities by Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) and an overwhelming number of 20,000 HIV positive people are awaiting to get such facilities.

NACO has already extended free conduct of CD4 test in some States of India and the same facility should be extended to Manipur as well, Dr Priyokumar said.

Organised under the aegis of You and I Network, the advocacy meeting was attended by legal advisor of MACS Sushil Huidrom as moderator.

Project Co-ordinator of SASO Pritam and news reporter of Imphal Free Press Akoijam Sunita were also among those who shares their thoughts on the issue during the meeting.

In her observation, Sunita pointed out that media should look beyond the news matter while focusing the issue of HIV/AIDS and there should be close co-ordination between the media and the NGOs working in the field.

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