HIV patients suffer in lack of CD4 device zonal hospital

BAGLUNG, Dec 17: Ujeli Baral, an HIV positive from Parbat, Bhoksang VDC-2, has not had her CD4 (cluster of differentiation) counted for the last five years. An HIV infected should get their CD4 counted every 6 months but Baral has been taking antiretroviral without CD4 measurement for a long time. The reason is there is no CD4 machine in the entire Dhawalagiri zone and she is too poor to visit Pokhara for CD4 count.



Baral contracted HIV from her husband, who became infected while working in India. Her husband died one and a half decade ago. She can hardly afford to visit the district headquarters to receive ARV and she is too poor to visit Pokhara for the CD4 count. Baral has been visiting the Dhawalagiri Zonal Hospital, Baglung every three months after ARV stock at the District Hospital, Parbat, ran out. [break]



"I have to spend around Rs 3,000 per trip to visit Baglung for ARV. How can I visit Pokhara for CD 4 count," said Baral. "Doctors are suggesting to me to go to Pokhara for but I cannot afford to travel that far," added Baral, who had come to Baglung with her nephew to take the ARV medicine.



Not only Baral, Prahlad Sharma (name changed) from Dhairing of Parbat has not had his CD4 counted for the past three years. The HIV patients are forced to visit Pokhara for the test. Although there is a zonal hospital in Dhawalagiri, it does not have CD4 machine.



"Patients from neighboring district also come to Baglung for ARV. They are facing difficulty visiting Pokhara for CD4 count due to their poor financial conditions," said Medical Superintendent of Baglung Hospital, Dr Tarun Poudel.



CD4 count determines the impact HIV has on the immune system, according to Rishiram Sharma, the counselor at Antiretroviral Treatment (ARV) Center in Baglung. HIV infected people from Parbat, Mustang and Myagdi district have been visiting Baglung for ARV medicine as the districts do not have ARV centers.



Dr Poudel informed that Dhawalagiri Zonal Hospital has demanded with the Ministry of Health for installing CD4 machine.



Dhawalagiri Zonal Hospital has an ARV treatment center and Volunteer Counseling Test (VCT) center. Similarly, Aama Milan Kendra, Baglung has been running VCT centers with support from the Global Fund´s HIV AIDS program at Kusmisera and Harichaur in the district.



Around 300 HIV infected people are in constant touch with the Dhawalagiri Zonal Hospital. Out of the total in the contact, 136 are eligible for ARV medicine but only 92 are taking it regularly.

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