HIV-postive people arriving here from different VDCs have been facing a problem taking antiretroviral drugs at Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital in Baglung Bazaar, the district headquarters.[break]
Most of the HIV-infected in the district are from weak economic backgrounds and they need to come to district headquarters every month to take their drugs under two weeks of direct supervision by doctors.
As most of the HIV-infected have difficulty arranging travel expenses, many cannot come to the hospital.
Ujati Baral, an HIV-infected from Bhoksingh village, hasn´t been taking antiretroviral drugs properly. “I cannot come to the hospital as I cannot manage the travel expenses,” she said.
The hospital has failed to administer the HIV drugs properly due to lack of a proper care centre, states Tarun Pandey, superintendent of the zonal hospital.
“We are not in a position to provide the pills to the HIV-infected while accomodating them in the hospital,” said Pandey adding, it is necessary to manage a separate care centre in the district.
Even though more than a dozen non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are investing millions to disseminate HIV awareness in Baglung district, no efforts have been made toward establishing a well-managed care center for the infected.
NGOs Aama Milan Centre and Satkarma Nepal said a care centre has not come up for lack of aid from donor agencies.
“Many HIV victims come to us when they don´t have living expenses and we have been providing them some money from our internal resources,”admitted Gyanu Thapa, president of Aama Milan.
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