In Bangkok conference

15thInternational AIDS Conference
Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004
Living well with HIV/AIDS at home in resource poor settings of Amritsar.
Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. B10002)Bharti R, Bharti PBDC Research Ceter,AAG, Amritsar, India
ISSUES: HIV already has 4.6 m victims (Officially) in India and everyone in authority or otherwise knows that managing these victims and their problems by government efforts alone is like trying to reach moon on foot. Despite the increasing numbers the basic issues remain to be solved. The issues are-are these numbers correct, how to get correct data, how these victims can be looked after best with minimum efforts on govt part.
DESCRIPTION: Bharti Derma Care Research Center is an extension of a well-known registered NGO, AIDS Awareness Group (AAG), Amritsar and is providing care to more then 190 HIV patients and their families for last more than two years. This is a study based on authors experience with these HIV patients. Lessons learnt: Although official figures for Amritsar is +1200 HIV cases as on date yet none of the 190 patients seen by the author are on record anywhere. Males were three times the females (3:1), 71% youth and bread earners.73.52% Sikhs 72% from the poor strata (monthly income<40$) href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202602.html">AZT/D4T+3TC+NVP. Costing about 1$ per day, 20% had to switch over to cheaper drugs or stop treatment for economic reasons. While the developed are talking about drug resistance we the developing cannot even afford Cd4 tests (20$) at regular intervals of 3 months even.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Involve Private practitioners, give them incentives, and gather data from testing laboratories and pharmacies selling ARV. Encourage people to seek help from PPs also provided??? The home care settings with cushions of joint families is the best answer, provided a good counseling & continuous counseling of whole family is done
Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Poverty, Health Resources, Zidovudine, Stavudine, Viral Load, Lamivudine, Housing, Anti-HIV Agents, HIV-1, India, Humans, Female, Male, economics, organization & administration Download PDF of this abstract.-->
040711 B10002
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