Dimapur, Nov. 24 (EMN): The Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) while appreciating the People Living with HIV (PLHIV) community of Dimapur and the ARK Foundation for highlighting pertinent issues, clarified the report appeared in the local dailies on Nov. 22.
The NSACS stated that the complaint regarding the breakdown of the CD4 machine due to the poor battery backup was received on the 1st week of November 2017 and accordingly action for release of fund for the purchase of new battery was initiated immediately. However, it was said that due to technical problem, “there was a little in transferring the fund. Yet battery backup has been replaced with a new set on 22nd November 2017.”
In this connection, the NSACS said a new complete backup set with CD4 machine, cartridges contributed from the Chief Secretary’s Welfare Fund is expected to be installed by December, at Dimapur ART Plus Centre, considering the heavy case load.
Regarding the ARV Drug, the NSACS stated that there is no shortage of ARV drugs at the centre and replenishment of drugs is done on regular basis.
“It may also be mentioned that, at present the ART Plus Centre has the adequate strength of manpower with one senior medical officer, one medical officer, one staff nurse, three counsellors, one lab. technician, one pharmacist, two data entry operators and one care coordinator with a client load of 100-200 per day,” the release stated.
The NSACS also mentioned that the NACO’s guideline for test and treat policy irrespective of CD4 count, all HIV positive people has to be given treatment. And it is only through partnership and collaborative efforts that they can push ahead to achieve the goal of test all, whether HIV positive people has done CD4 count or not.
