|
ART users hit 500
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
THE number of people living with the AIDS
virus who are seeking the anti-retroviral (ART) drug at the Teninga
clinic in Western Highlands province has reached 500.
An official said 250 people had already been put on the drug, while the
rest had just registered and would soon be put on the drug.
Response co-coordinator for provincial AIDS council Joshua Meninga said
an increasing number of people were coming forward for blood testing and
to seek treatment.
He said it was a good indication that people in the province were
starting to recognise the importance of voluntary testing.
Mr Meninga said since the ART drug became available at the Teninga
clinic many people living with the virus had come forward to register.
He said the ART drug was only available at the clinic, adding those
people tested positive in other testing centres in the province were
referred to Teniniga for treatment.
The drugs are distributed by Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria (GFATM).
He said they had seven voluntary counselling and testing centres located
at Banz, Minj, Kudjip, Tinsely, Rebiamul, Teninga and Togoba.
He said the Clinton Foundation had also established its network in the
province by assisting the Mount Hagen General Hospital with funding to
fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS in the province.
The United Nation International Children Emergency Fund (Unicef) is also
involved in this network.
Unicef also funded a voluntary counselling and testing workshop at Minj
for health workers in the Anglimp/South Waghi district two weeks ago.
Twenty-two health workers attended the workshop.
Unicef also funded two workshops in Minj and Rebiamul on caring for
people living with the AIDS virus.
 
|
