10 die in two months, as HIV treatment in Kasaragod stumbles

A specialist doctor is not available at the ART Centre in Kasargod, where 970 HIV patients are registered Expert treatment is available only under the recommendation of a doctor from the ART Centre A reference is also necessary to conduct the test to detect the presence of virus

In a rare occurrence, 10 cases of HIV deaths were reported within a span of two months from Kasaragod district in Kerala. It is apparent that those detected as HIV positive in the region are being denied proper treatment and government support. 

HIV patients at the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) Center have been facing severe difficulties in getting treatment, as a specialist doctor has not been available in the Centre for the past four months. Besides, from April onwards, the government has not been distributing nutritional food for the patients. 

Of the 10 HIV deaths, eight were reported from among the patients registered at Kasaragod ART Centre. Two others had registered with the Kasargod District Network Of People Living With HIV/Aids. The victims belonged to Neeleswaram, Bhandiyod, Manjeswaram, Padannakkad, Kasargod, Dharmathadka and Vellarikundu. 

As many as 970 persons, who are HIV positive, have registered with the ART centre, Kasaragod. Of them, nearly half the patients seek treatment at the Centre, which was recognised as the best ART Centre by the Kerala Aids Control Society. 

But, lately, these patients have not been receiving medical assistance as there is no specialist doctor in the Centre from May. Further, the Centre also has no facility to conduct the CD4 test, to assess the functioning of the immune system of patients. 

The patients have to visit Wenlock Hospital in Mangalore to perform the test.

Specialist treatment is needed for patients who have CD4 cell count below 350. Treatment is available at Thrissur Medical College, however, only with the reference of a specialist doctor from the ART Centre.

The recommendation is also necessary to conduct viral load test at the Centre of Excellence at Tambaram in Chennai. The test is carried out to determine the presence of the virus.

With no specialist doctor at the ART Centre patients in the district are not able to seek treatment at Medical College or conduct viral load test.