ART unit to be set up soon

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 12: An expert team from the headquarters of the state health department visited the proposed site in Malda district hospital for setting up an anti-retroviral therapy (ART) unit for HIV/AIDS two weeks ago. The district health department had proposed the plan in January, 2008. According to the chief medical officer of health, Dr Srikanta Roy, the team has chalked out a plan to estimate cost before sanctioning funds for the project. The ART unit will be set up close to existing blood bank in Malda district hospital for the benefit of hundreds of patients in Malda and adjoining districts who belong to poor families. The unit is a joint venture of the National AIDS Control Organisation (Naco) and the state AIDS prevention and control society, district health officials said. “The PWD will be assigned to construct the building and infrastructure of the ART cell. After completion of building we can ensure when the ART unit will start functioning here,” the Malda CMOH Dr Srikanta Roy said. Hundreds of HIV/AIDS patients usually go to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Darjeeling district or Kolkata School of Topical Medicine for treatment and collecting free medicine. It may be noted, many poor patients of Malda and adjoining areas discontinue their treatment due to poverty. They just cannot afford the transportation cost to go Kolkata and Siliguri. On an average more than 20 HIV patients, many of them migrant labourers and their family members, from Malda district have to go to Kolkata or Siliguri. A few weeks ago an HIV victim, a taxi driver in English Bazaar town, committed suicide out of his frustration failing to continue free treatment due to poverty.