Link centres for AIDS patients in MP

Indore, July 30 (UNI) With a view to taking care of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome patients, three link centres would begin functioning in Malwa region's Ujjain, Dhar and Burhanpur on August 1.

An AIDS Research and Treatment Centre is being run here for the past three years by the National AIDS Control Organisation and Madhya Pradesh State AIDS Control Committee.

The Centre's Nodal Officer V P Pande and Committee Officer D M Saxena told mediapersons today that about 3,500 sufferers of Malwa were registered at the Centre and more than 2,500 were being taken care of. Most patients were from far-off places and could not come here for regular treatment.

The link centres would make medicine available to 150 patients.

Doctors, counsellors, nurses and pharmacists have been trained.

''Upto 19 link centres will be opened by year's end,'' said Mr Saxena.

UNI XC-AC 1719