Relief for HIV/AIDS patients: ART therapy now available in India

: In what is assumed as a social relief for HIV/AIDS patients, Anti-Retro Virus Treatment (ART) drugs are now available in India.

While experts have reacted with skepticism to a British man's claims that he has been cured of HIV/AIDS, patients from India are in for some relief.

In what is assumed as a social relief for HIV/AIDS patients, Anti-Retro Virus Treatment (ART) drugs are now available in India.

This medicine is provided in India by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and it is hoped that it would help the infected people to lead a much longer life.

Dr Moji Jini, a surgical specialist of Arunachal General Hospital, Itanagar who underwent a four-day training programme on ART therapy at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) recently, said the therapy would control infection, kill the virus and increase the immunity system.

''There is tremendous stigma attached to this disease. People should seek counseling and avail ART therapy. This medicine would ensure a stress-free life,'' he observed.

The disease generally reduces the life span of the patients. With this medicine their life span would increase by five to ten years.

But the patient should adopt safer behaviour and remain on regular medication. It would cost Rs 1500 per month or even lesser (around Rs 600) if subsidized by the government, he said.

To improve health and education, the leaders world over have agreed to work to make HIV/AIDS anti-retrovirus treatment available to all who need it, and to make available objective assessments of the effectiveness of school systems.