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HIV drugs go out of stock in Bengaluru's ART centres

Patients put to hardship; activist says situation could turn grim
Last Updated 14 December 2015, 21:00 IST
A combination of medicines used in the treatment of HIV/Aids are yet again going out of stock in Bengaluru’s Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) centres. Not just ART drugs, even medicines to treat opportunistic infections are unavailable, patients complain.

SL 30, an important drug in the treatment of HIV/Aids, is not available at the state-run Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, said a patient requesting anonymity. “Those with HIV/Aids and associated diseases such as kidney and liver problems are given medicines of a lesser strength. SL 30 is out of stock for quite some time now,” he told Deccan Herald.

A female patient said that when they approached the authorities concerned, they were told that the irregular supply of medicines was because of shortage of funds. “The government has data about how many patients are there in Karnataka and on which line of treatment. How then are ART centres not having enough stock of these medicines,” she demanded.

David B, an activist with Sangama, a nonprofit that works for human rights, sex workers and HIV/Aids patients, said many more drugs were in short supply. Paediatric drugs, drugs for opportunistic infections and those given to curb the side effects of HIV medicines are also unavailable. Opportunistic infections, he explained, occur in people with low immunity such as those with HIV.

“Those with HIV are prone to several infections as they are immunocompromised. Even common cold could last for longer than usual for them. It is known that more than 90 per cent of HIV-positive people die of associated infections such as tuberculosis,” David said.

Shortage of drugs is not one problem faced by people with HIV. According to David, patients are asked to pay for these medicines at all hospitals except K C General Hospital. “Most cannot afford them. Those having BPL cards get them at half price. In other ART centres in Bengaluru, pharmacies are run on a PPP model and people have to pay for medicines,” he said.

H N Ravindra, Project Director, Karnataka State Aids Prevention Society, however, denied there was a shortage of drugs and insisted that such incidents were rare. “If at all there is a shortage, even the hospital’s medical superintendant can help buy the drugs,” he said.

“We have an inventory management system in place which helps locate which drug is available where and which have been given to patients.” Still, he said, he had called a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the matter.
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(Published 14 December 2015, 21:00 IST)

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