Inclusion of HIV positive and those on ART under MSIAF mooted
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 28 2014:
A day-long State level consultation held today on improving access to treatment of Hepatitis C under the Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund (MSIAF) has recommended that HIV positive people and those who are under ART be included in the eligibility criteria for accessing benefits under the scheme.
Other key recommendations adopted during the consultation included fixing a time-frame, preferably three months, within which reimbursement is made for treatment of HCV and other illness, to develop a support system to make reimbursement easier particularly for HCV treatment as treatment is time bound and costly, and lastly, to institute a committee comprising health department, community representatives, Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS), pharma-companies and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate convergence and improve access to MSIAF.
Organised jointly by Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) and Directorate of Health Services, Government of Manipur, the consultation was attended by representatives of TREAT Asia/amfAR, Bangkok; UN AIDS International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC), South Asia; Medicine Sans Frontier (MSF), community-based organisations and pharma companies Merck, Zydus.
Speaking as one of the presidium members, Dr S Mema Devi, Additional Director, Public Health Service, Directorate of Health Services, Government of Manipur, said that the treatment of Hep-C was included under MSIAF from October 2013.However, "the amount does not actually cover the whole expenditure incurred by the patient at the time of treating.
Moreover, the amount that is sanctioned under the scheme is also in the form of re-imbursement.
This is not actually realistic in the real sense of the term" .
She further informed, "Out of the total number of patients coming for re-imbursement under the scheme, 14% are Hep-C patients, which is very high" .
W Khoibi Devi, Deputy Director, Public Health, Directorate of Health Services, Government of Manipur, stated that for the fiscal year 2012-13, the number of patients who have received sanction from the State government under MSIAF is 202."Unfortunately there were no Hep-C patients since it was not included under the provision of MSIAF
then.
However this time a total of 203 patients have been sent for approval to the Management Committee and the final results are awaited.
From the total number of patients sent for approval, there are 29 Hep-C patients", she added.
Speaking on the topic "Treatment scenario of HCV in Manipur", Dr Kh Lokeshwar, MD, Asst Proff, JNIMS, stated, "We are focussing on HCV in the state as it comes along with one of the diseases which is not curable till today (HIV).
In-spite of the medical advancement Hep-C is not curable as of now.
We do not have a vaccine til date.
Hep C is major issue in the state and should focus on it with more intensity.
He further pointed out, "The rate of Hep-C is increasing among the MSMs.
The state is still to have a proposal for mass screening of all risk groups" .
In-spite of the availability of injection interferon and oral antiviral for Hep-C treatment, many of Hep-C patients who are poor do not have accessed to the treatment, as they do not have money to buy the medicines.
Deputy Director (TI), MACS was also present on the occasion as one of the presidium members.
Pradeep Hungyo, Secretary General, CoNE also shared his views on HCV treatment.
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