Karnataka - Mysore   

Public urged to make use of facilities at ART Centre

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Better services: H.S. Shankarlinge Gowda, MLA, inaugurating the renovated ART centre in Mysore on Sunday.

MYSORE: The renovated Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) Centre to treat HIV/AIDS patients was inaugurated at the K.R. Hospital here on Sunday.

H.S. Shankarlinge Gowda, MLA, who inaugurated the centre, said AIDS patients should not be discriminated against.

He stressed the importance of health and exhorted people to follow the ABC principles i.e. of Abstinence, Being faithful to the partner and using Condoms.

Venkatesh, dean of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, which is affiliated to K.R. Hospital, said that at all facilities would be available at the centre. He urged the public to make use of the medical, counselling and testing services provided by the Government. He said that a team from Global Fund would visit the hospital next week to take stock of the facilities provided there.

Suresh Sastri, consultant for the Karnataka State Aids Prevention Society, said that there were 27 ART centres in the State, including three under public-private partnership and one centre of excellence at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital and one paediatric ART Centre of Excellence at Indira Gandhi Hospital, both in Bangalore.

Geetha Avadhani, Superintendent, K.R. Hospital, stressed the importance of counselling for people living with HIV/AIDS. She said, “With counselling and by following a proper lifestyle people living with HIV/AIDS can lead a normal and healthy life for many years before they require ART.”

Vasudeva Nayak, HIV nodal officer and head of the Department of Medicine, said that taking ART drugs was very important for people living with HIV/AIDS. “Timely intake of drugs without any break is the key factor for HIV affected who are on ART,” he added.

At present 1,654 patients are being provided ART drugs. while the total number of registered HIV+ patients at the centre stands at 6,278. The ART centre in Mysore is one of the first three centres in the State. It was opened in April 2004.

There are seven counsellors, including a peer counsellor at the centre. There is also a peer coordinator, who visits peripheral areas to follow up missing cases.

ART counsellor Annappa Swamy proposed a vote of thanks.

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