NACO increases centres providing ART from 54 to 91

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has increased the number of centres providing free Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) from 54 to 91 while another nine more centres will also get operational soon.

At these 91 centres, medicines for treating 85,000 patients have been made available. All the centres have specially appointed and trained doctors, counsellors and laboratory technicians to help initiate patients on ART and follow them up regularly.

ART is a combination of three potent drugs, which is being given to the persons at an advanced stage of AIDS. Although these drugs do not cure HIV infection, they suppress multiplication of the virus and reduce the number of opportunistic infections thereby improving the quality of life and prolonging the life span.

Apart from providing free treatment, all the ART centres are providing counselling to the infected persons so that they maintain regularity of their medication. Continuity is the most important factor for the long term effectiveness of the ART drugs as disruption can lead to drug resistance. At present 40,000, people are on ART, which are expected to go up to 85,000 by March end.

All these centres have a plan to ensure that patients take their medicines regularly and are followed up, in case of default, while maintaining their confidentiality.

UNI AJ VD DB1838