1,212 out of 1,703 HIV-positive patients in daily medication

By Our Correspondent,Kalaiya, jan.1: A total of 1,703 individuals diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are in contact with the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre in Narayani Hospital of Birgunj, Parsa. However, only 1,212 of the patients tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are in daily medication.

“Among the patients consuming medicines from the centre, 686 are men, 432 women, 34 boys, 29 girls and 31 third-gender,” said Sarita Shrestha, in-charge of the ART centre.

The patients receive counselling at the centre from Dr. Atulesh Kumar Chaurasiya, a dermatologist and venerologist.

The centre is visited by AIDS patients from four districts of Madhes Province – Bara, Parsa, Rautahat and Dhanusha – and Makwanpur district of Bagmati.

“The patients are under medication to live a normal life. There have been several cases where AIDS patients have decided to end their life due to stress and anxiety because of the way society treats them rather than trying to survive with medication,” said Shrestha.

Shrestha stressed that awareness about HIV in villages and rural communities have allowed the patients to live in harmony with others.

Health experts suggest that timely check-up and regular medication will allow AIDS patients to live longer as normal people.

Similarly, offspring of an AIDS patient will not suffer from the infection if they consume medicines in line with the prescription from doctors.

“People suffering from HIV still hide the infection because they are unaware about treatment and fear discrimination from society,” said Purnima Shrestha, programme coordinator for Blue Heaven Nepal.