Thanks to the introduction of a CD4 counting lab at Dhaulagiri Hospital, the first such facility in the district, many HIV-positive individuals like Patak have breathed a sign of relief.
Before this, all HIV-positive individuals had no option but to journey to Pokhara and neighboring districts such as Parbat, Myagdi, and Mustang for the CD4 count. But now this service has arrived in Baglung itself, informed Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr. Tarun Poudel.
“We have brought this machine here after huge effort and it will certainly make life easier those who are HIV-positive by offering them ready treatment without their having to travel far,” said Poudel.
“Had it not been for the assistance of the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASE), we would not have been able to add this facility to the hospital,” he added.
Talking about the vital importance of the machine, Poudel said the CD4 count determines the health status of HIV-positive individuals and their further treatment.
“If the CD4 count is less than 350 the patient has to be medicated but if the count is above 500 then the use of medicine is not recommended,” said Poudel.
Elaborating on the benefits of the medical facility, Senior Public Health Administrator Sagar Dahal said, “All patients, especially those coming from poor families, have heaved a sigh of relief and people from Myagdi and Parwat districts also are visiting us for the treatment,” said Dahal.
According to Hrishiram Sharma, counselor at the hospital´s ART centre, the hospital has been treating 226 HIV-positive cases on a regular basis. “Out of the total, 146 patients have been using the ART machine,” said Sharma.
“The treatment won´t be limited to the hospital. We will be taking this machine to Lamjung, Gorkha, Syangja and Tanahu to treat patients at their doorsteps,” added Sharma.
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