Soon,children with HIV to get free second-line treatment

According to NACO guidelines,only patients who show treatment failure will be put on the second line of drugs. Centres in Maharashtra,Tamil Nadu,Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka,West Bengal,Chandigarh and Delhi will provide drugs for second-line ART. In Mumbai,Byculla-based state-run JJ Hospital (a centre of excellence for HIV treatment in Maharashtra) and the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion (one of the regional centres for treatment of HIV positive children) will offer second-line drugs.

Trends,according to experts,indicate that the rate of treatment failure at the end of three years of ART is one per cent among children. “About one percent of pediatric cases put on first line of ART fails to respond and needs to be shifted to second-line therapy. In Sion Hospital,about 500 children are on ART,of which five to six require second-line therapy,” said Dr Mamta Manglani,pediatric HIV specialist at Sion.

“At JJ,of the 380 children on first line treatment,few cases will require the second line of treatment. This will be a new hope for infected children,” said Dr Alaka Deshpande,who is in charge of the ART centre at JJ Hospital.

To verify first-line drug failure,the parameters given by NACO include a viral load test,which is conducted at Kasturba Hospital laboratory. “The second line of treatment for children should roll out in another two weeks after training of medical officers. NACO has already provided the drugs,” said Dr Deshpande. JJ Hospital’s ART centre will cater to children from public hospitals from Maharashtra,Goa and parts of Madhya Pradesh.

BMC films to warn high-risk groups
The BMC will screen short films for high-risk HIV groups like sex workers,transsexuals and homosexual men as a part of its month-long AIDS awareness drive. The films in Marathi and Hindi are aimed at creating awareness among groups most vulnerable to HIV. NACO has decided to translate these films into other Indian languages to be screened in other states. The Mumbai District Aids Control Society,along with other NGOs,will help the BMC in the awareness drive through street plays,stalls,exhibitions and contests in slum areas of Dharavi,Kamathipura etc.