Camp for young AIDS patients

US-based William Foundation to give Rs 200 per patient TO provide regular treatment to children suffering from HIV/AIDS, a three-day medical camp will be organised by Gujarat State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) and Gujarat Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNPLHA) at NHL Medical College in Ahmedabad.

Sponsored by William J Foundation (set up by former US president Bill Clinton to sponsor expensive HIV/AIDS drugs in developing and poor countries), the camp - to be organised from May 22 to 24 - is a maiden drive to help patients from 18 months to 15 years of age.

The foundation will fund Rs 200 per young patient and bear transportation expenses from anywhere in the State.
Volunteers of GNPLHA are camping in towns and villages of 24 districts to identify patients and bring them to the camp.At the end, GSACS will assess population of young patients suffering from HIV/AIDS and initiate free life-long treatment and tests.

Patients at the camp will get facility of CD4 and CD8 tests (expensive tests required for the baseline assessment of immune system) for free and will be put on medication of ARV pediatric, and others who do not require immediate medication will be registered for follow-up treatment.

"GSACS aims to begin a complete AIDS treatment programme especially for children as also a survey in 24 districts of the State is on for past 15 days,'' said additional project director GSACS Dr D M Saxena, adding, "Around 500 children are expected to attend the camp.''

Though about 2,000 patients have registered for treatment at two centres in Ahmedabad and Surat, young patients from poor financial background are left to fend for themselves. Number of patients is on steady rise in state, but free ARV drugs dose is available only at Ahmedabad and Surat centres.

Even as a third centre is proposed to come up in Rajkot, the State society, NGO and international group have joined hands to provide special facilities to children.