Date:01/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/01/stories/2008120158450300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Their hopes revived by ART, counselling,..

Santosh Patnaik

The initiative taken by AP State AIDS Control Society and NGOs makes the difference for HIV-hit

ART yielding the desired result
Over 32,000 offered counselling

VISAKHAPATNAM: He got the shock of his life when he was diagnosed HIV positive. For a few days, he thought it was a death warrant. A friend, who referred him to King George Hospital for counselling and follow-up treatment gave a fresh lease of life to him.

A 32-year-old computer graduate and city resident is now a confident man. Two years after he was helped to overcome the trauma by KGH doctors and motivated by Kishore, a counsellor at Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC), KGH, he is not only able to lead a normal life but also got married to a HIV positive.

Network formation

“I am thankful to team of doctors and supporting staff at KGH for enabling me to lead a happy marital life,” he says with a sense of satisfaction. This is not the lone case wherein HIV positive are leading a normal life. With the advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and formation of network for people living with HIV/AIDS to tide over psychological problems faced by them, they are a happy lot today.

The initiative taken by AP State AIDS Control Society and certain NGOs involved in HIV/AIDS care has made the difference. Today, 19 ICTCs are operational in the district. A youth, one of the regulars in availing ART in the city was tested HIV positive in 2005. He got the treatment at a private hospital here for sometime as his CD4 count fell down to 327. He abandoned the therapy a month later due to lack of knowledge that he has to get it lifelong like any chronic ailment. “Two years later I suffered heavy weight loss and got opportunistic infections. After coming to know about the facilities available at KGH, I visited the hospital and found my CD-4 count at 150. Doctors immediately gave me ART after lot of counselling. I found the atmosphere and the support from the staff there was very inspiring. Six months later, my CD-4 count increased to 600,” he discloses.

His trauma and agony thus came to an end. Later he advised all his friends, who were known for their high-risk behaviour to visit ICTC. Becoming a role model for others, he has turned an outreach worker for the community for past four months.

Additional District Medical and Health Officer (leprosy and AIDS) P. Rajendra Prasad says that the situation is relatively better but it is no time to be complacent. He says that in all 32,349 were offered counselling and testing over past five years of which 17,275 were diagnosed HIV positive.