As many as 15,000 HIV/AIDS patients are leading miserable lives in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts due to lack of access to free medicines and Antiretroviral Thearpy (ART) which is a prescribed treatment for patients.
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The patients are demanding treatment under the Dr. YSR Aarogyasri Health Insurance Scheme and payment of pension similar to how an amount is paid to kidney disease patients in Uddanam region of Srikakulam district. The patients are expecting a positive statement from the government on the occasion of World AIDS Day which will be observed on December 1.
Honorary member of International Aids Society-Geneva Kutikuppala Surya Rao urged both the Union and State governments to ensure access to ART and other medicines as the World Health Organisation had urged all countries to follow its theme ‘End inequalities-End AIDS and End Pandemics for the Year-2021’.
“Fortunately, HIV/AIDS is a manageable disease with the availability of advanced medicines. AIDS and HIV patients can lead a normal life up to 75 years of age. However, they need to have access to ART treatment and medicines in semi-urban and rural areas. The government should create infrastructure to instill confidence among the patients as many of them are attacked by the dreaded disease in different forms,” Dr. Surya Rao said.
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Awarded the Padma Shri for his pioneering work in the field of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, Dr. Surya Rao said that availability of Cabenuva, a long-acting injectable HIV treatment, would be a boon for patients in the near future. Lok Satta Party State president Bhisetti Babji, who recently organised an agitation with HIV/AIDS patients in Vizianagaram, asked the State government to ensure quality food and transport charges for rural patients to come to Vizianagaram for treatment.
AIDS Positive Network-Vizianagaram district presidnet Majji Padmavati said that hundreds of patients were dying every year due to lack of access to medicines.