To manage rush of HIV patients, JJ to set up another ART centre

The administration has finalized a space near the old dermatology department to set up the second centre.

Maharashtra State Aids Control Society (MSACS) has proposed to create a second centre at the state-run facility.

With the Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) centre at JJ hospital choking with a huge influx of HIV positive patients, the state arm of National Aids Control Society (NACO) — Maharashtra State Aids Control Society (MSACS) — has proposed to create a second centre at the state-run facility.

Dr Swapnali Patil, joint director of MSACS, said, “We have noticed that people living in far-away suburbs like Kandivali and Govandi come all the way to JJ for treatment. There is a level of trust they have on the hospital and despite asking them several times to shift to a centre close to their place, they continue to come to JJ. Hence, we decided to set-up another centre to accommodate the patients.”

While as per NACO guidelines it is recommended to have around 4,000 HIV patients per ART centre, the JJ-based ART facility has over 7,000 patients. The guidelines have also indicated that in case a centre crosses 4,000 HIV positive patients, a new centre should be established in the district.

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The plan to set up another centre on the hospital premises has received a go-ahead. According to sources, the administration has finalised a space near the old dermatology department to set up the second centre.

However, hospital’s dean Dr T P Lahane said, “We wanted the centre to be set up at a different location outside the hospital because we have already been treating so many patients. But since the inflow of patients here is huge, we had to assent. Doctors will have to shuttle between both the ART centres now.”

Lahane added that the gap in staff would be filled by the MSACS for the new centre. At present, of the 82 ART centres in the state, 12 centres are spread across the city. The MSACS is also in the process of creating facilitated ART centres, which will further branch out to detect and register AIDS patients for free treatment.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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