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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Northeast HIV tests hit by reagent hurdle-GS Mudur

Northeast HIV tests hit by reagent hurdle-GS Mudur

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published Published on Jul 11, 2013   modified Modified on Jul 11, 2013
-The Telegraph


New Delhi: Patients infected with the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) in the northeastern states have been unable to undergo a key test required to start anti-HIV drugs for several weeks because of delays in procurement by government agencies, patient interest groups said today.

The Indian Drug Users Forum said several government HIV-treatment centres across Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura are facing a "complete stock-out" of biochemical reagents that measure levels of white blood cells called CD4 T-cells in HIV-infected persons. The CD4 levels are critical to make decisions to initiate therapy to prolong the lives of HIV patients.

Current guidelines recommend patients who have CD4 count less than 350 cells per mm should start taking the anti-HIV drugs. "The stock-out keeps patients in the dark. Without CD4 counts, patients won't know when to start therapy," said Vikas Ahuja, president of the Network of Positive People.

The forum claimed that state AIDS control societies in the Northeast had written to the laboratory services division of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). But none of the states have received any response despite several reminders, the forum said.

A senior NACO official told The Telegraph that procurement delays have led to the shortage of CD4 testing reagents but claimed the shortage has affected only a few HIV-treatment centres in the region. "We're trying to streamline the procurement process. We've already got some deliveries and we expect all centres will have reagents in about seven to 10 days," the official said.

In a statement issued today, the network said while the Union health ministry had contracted the procurement of anti-HIV drugs and reagents for testing CD4 levels to a procurement agency, the ministry had not renewed the contract for nearly two years. It said this has led to "serious delays" in the procurement of CD4 testing kits for the HIV control programme. The NACO official declined to provide details of the delay in procurement but said it may have something to do with officials moving across government departments.

This poor management of the supply chain mechanism is holding up treatment for those who may urgently need to start the anti-HIV drug therapy, the forum based in Kohima said in a letter sent to NACO. Patients who have already initiated anti-HIV therapy also need to undergo CD4 counts every six months to determine the therapy is working.

"It is shocking that doctors will not be able to initiate or monitor treatment of people living with HIV. This is unacceptable," Loon Gangte, a member of the Delhi Network of Positive People said in a statement this evening.

Among the 252 government centres across India that monitor CD4 levels of HIV patients, the northeastern states have 17 centres. But Ahuja said the shortage has also affected some centres in New Delhi. A NACO official said patients already on anti-HIV therapy are unlikely to be affected by the shortage of CD4 testing kits because they require a test only every six months. "The acute shortage is only a few days to weeks old," he said.


The Telegraph, 11 July, 2013, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130711/jsp/frontpage/story_17103992.jsp#.Ud5M7qzcjco


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