Dimapur, March 4 (MExN): The Nagaland State Aids Control Society (NSACS) has refuted a news report published by the Times of India (ToI) which stated that shortage of HIV drugs has hit the north-east states acutely.
The ToI report, published on its portal on March 4, stated the drug combination Abacavir+Lamivudine (AL), which is given as an alternative first-line drug, has been in short supply since February. “The shortage has affected several ART centres across Maharashtra, but it has hit the north-eastern states more acutely,” the report read.
In this connection, the office of the Project Director, NSACS issued a press release on Saturday, expressing its dismay that such a report has been published without validation of actual facts. “Such unconfirmed reports seek to malign the effort of the Nagaland SACS HIV prevention and treatment program and it undermines the efforts made by the SACS and NACO and discourages the efforts put by our hardworking and efficient staffs at the facilities,” Project Director Dr Akuo Sorhie stated in the release.
According to Dr Sorhie, NACO, the State AIDS Control Society and the 12 NACO supported Antiretroviral Therapy Centres across the state are working hard and ensuring continuous supply of ARV medicines to the PLHIVs in the state.
To ensure adherence, the ART Centres are also providing Multi Month Dispensation (2-3 months) for stable clients and those unable to reach monthly (remote locations). Dispensation is also done through the community to ensure that patients are on treatment and not missing doses, he maintained.
Stating that newspaper reports made without due validation of actual facts are misleading and serves only to exaggerate the situation based on unreliable sources and personal opinions of an individual, the Project Director went on to clarify that the NSACS “has sufficient stocks of Adult and Paediatric ARV medicines.” The NSACS continuously monitors the stock status and are on the alert for any stock out or impeding stock outs, and ensures refilling from the warehouses before such incidents, he said, while reiterating that there are currently no shortages of any ARV drugs.
