MACS dismisses report on shortage of HIV drugs
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 05 2023:
Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS) on Sunday dismissed an article published in a national daily as completely misleading and not based on facts.
In a release, MACS said, "The article titled "Short Supply of HIV drug creates acute crisis in NE" is completely misleading and not based on facts.
Such articles appear to be influenced by mala fide vested interests who want to undermine the hard work done by Manipur SACS to ensure uninterrupted supply of ARV drugs to our people.
Manipur State AIDS Control Society condemns such false and misconceived news and remains committed to work for the welfare of our PLHIV community and will ensure uninterrupted supply of ARV drugs always" .
According to the release, there are 14,376 people living with HIV (PLHIV) currently on ART in the state under the care of Manipur State AIDS Control Society as on January 31, 2023 and out of this, 13,243 (92%) are on DTG based regimen.
Further, out of this 13,243 (92%) who are on DTG based regimen, 12,651 are on TLD (ARV medicines).
Manipur State AIDS Control Society has enough TLD stock and other DTG based regimen.
Currently, there is sufficient stock of AL adult in the state.
"All the Anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs are centrally procured and supplied by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).
However, since September 28, 2022, SACSs have been instructed to locally procure two ARV drugs - AL paediatrics and ZL paediatrics.
And accordingly, we have procured the medicines.
There is enough stock for all the ARV medicines now and currently there is no stock out situation of ARV medicines in Manipur," MACS clarified.
"In extreme conditions of total stock out situations of the medicines, individual PLHIVs can purchase the medicines for not more than one month and reimbursement can be claimed from Manipur State AIDS Control Society.
There are occasions where such incidents have had happened and MACS has done reimbursements to PLHIVs after submitting proper bills and vouchers and other relevant documents," it added.