PLHIVs in Dimapur protest poor treatment facilities at ART centre

Dimapur, Nov. 21 (EMN): A group of more than 80 persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in Dimapur staged a protest outside the antiretroviral therapy (ART) centre at District Hospital Dimapur on Nov. 20 last.
The protest, according to a press release received here on Tuesday, was to register the PLHIV community’s resentment at the constant breakdown of the CD4 machine at the centre. “The machine is used as a baseline pre-ARV treatment and post-ARV initiation as an indicator to determine the treatment-response-rate after every six months.
“Yet, the machine which was a second-hand brand being transport from Imphal after it was used for many years, was installed in the ART centre in 2007, and has being breaking down frequently. This time the reason for the machine’s dysfunction is a minor technical error in the power back up which could have been easily repaired.
“The problem with the machine was reported during the 1st week of Nov. and NSACS were made well aware of it. However even after a lapse of more than 2 weeks, the machine remains dysfunctional leading to untold misery of more than 3000 PLHIV presently on ARTs. This could possibly be a reason as to why more then another 3000 people on ARVs have to discontinue their ARV treatment,” the statement read.
It stated that the protestors held posters and placards that read: “we demand new machine”, “treat us as human, we are not less than you”, “ART medicines must be available anytime”, and voiced out demands to repair the machine and install a new machine at the earliest, appoint additional doctor, nurse, counsellor and lab technician ‘since the dimapur ARTC is an ART plus centre with more than 9000 registered PLHIV’.
It stated that the issue was a serious one which needed urgent attention. “People on ARV cannot afford to fail their adherence yet the whole system seems to be playing with the lives of the community”.
ARK Foundation extends support to community
The ARK Foundation has also extended support to the demand of the PLHIV community of Dimapur while citing utter negligence of NSACS in failing to address this issue.
It expressed concerns over the problems faced by the PLHIV community and suggested that shortage of ARV and snags in CD4 machine would only result in ‘treatment failure’.
“Without a viral load testing facility and its easy accessibility, people on ARV rely mostly on the CD 4 test to assess their treatment success. With the enforcement of the ‘test and treat strategy’ as a result of the HIV/AIDS Act 2017, it is really amusing to mention that the state is emphasizing on treating every one tested positive without proper machineries and frequent stock-outs of ARV drugs.
“Cautioning the HIV positive community to be aware of such system failure, the press release said: It is necessary to seek for your right to health with an equal perspective on your fundamental rights. This has to be made with informed consent, treatment and adherence, and follow up counselling are all necessary while also getting the right kind medicines and test and diagnosis at the right time and interval.”