According to the NCASC, which falls under the Department of Health Services (DoHS), ART centers across the country are running out of stock, including those in the Tarai region. Over 13,000 people living with HIV, including 2,500 children, have been getting drugs from the ART centers across the country."Due to the fuel crisis and volatile security situation, we have not been able to supply the life-saving drugs to the ART centers," Dr Deependra Raman Singh, director at the Kathmandu-based NCASC, said. He informed that most of the HIV centers of the Tarai region will be out of stock within one week.
According to director Singh, the NCASC has also sought help from the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and security agencies to supply the medicines. "We were thinking of supplying the medicines via ambulances but the protesting parties have been setting fire to the ambulances too," Dr Singh expressed his concerns. The NCASC had even tried to send medicines via courier but that too did not work as the courier office refused to deliver the medicines citing fuel crisis and security reasons.
Health experts warn of severe consequences if the HIV patients do not get the ART drugs regularly. "The same medication might not work on the patients if the drugs are discontinued," Sambhu Kafle of the NCASC said.
Kafle said that billions of rupees invested by the country as well as international aid agencies and the achievements made in the HIV sector in years would go in vain if the fuel crisis persists any longer. Several aid agencies including the global fund, World Bank, World Health Organization and others have invested huge amount in Nepal's HIV program.
"HIV drugs may lose its effect on the infected people if the drugs are discontinued," added Kafle. The WHO has recommended ART drugs to everyone diagnosed with HIV.
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