RIMS fails to follow HC directives
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 23 2014: Even as the High Court of Manipur has directed RIMS authority to install viral loading test machine within three months and although it has been more than five months since the order was issued, no viral loading test machine has been installed as yet due to lack of coordination among NACO, RIMS and MSACS.

Acting on a petition which highlighted the plight of PLHIV due to absence of viral loading test facility in the State, the High Court of Manipur issued a ruling on April 25 this year directing the respondents to install and make functional a viral loading test machine at RIMS within three months.

As there was no sign of compliance with the order, the petitioner's counsel served legal notice on the RIMS Director and Project Director of Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) on September 20 .

As per the High Court order, viral loading test facility should be made available at RIMS by July 25 .

The High Court passed the order in response to a public interest litigation filed by the Community Network for Empowerment (CONE) president RK Nolinikanta against NACO, MSACS, RIMS, RIMS Medical Superintendent, Centre of Excellence ART Centre RIMS and the Principal Secretary (Health) .

For treatment of PLHIV, it is crucial to subject the patients to viral load test so as to find out the number of HIV virus present in the body of the patient.

Treatment of HIV patients after finding out the number of HIV virus is the safest and most effective method but there is no viral load test machine in the State either at Government hospitals or private clinics.

HIV positive cases were detected among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Manipur in late 1980s.Eventually, HIV virus spread to not only high risk groups but also to the general populace particularly women and children.

Ultimately, HIV/AIDS became a major social health issue in the State.

For the past 15 years, PLHIVs have been demanding opening of viral load testing facility in the State.

Under unavoidable circumstances, blood samples are collected at private diagnostic centres and they are sent to Kolkata for viral load test.

One laboratory test for viral load costs Rs 4950 and it take days for the results to arrive.

Many PLHIV have expired and in many cases their expiry came sooner than later because of the unavailability of viral load testing facility, said CONE president RK Nolinikanta adding she filed the PIL with a view to reduce the woes of PLHIV at least to some extent.

The way children infected with HIV are being treated in Manipur is rather disappointing.

Treatment is done by conducting only the CD4 test without knowing the number of HIV virus present in the bodies of the children as there is no viral load testing facility.

This often breeds immunity failure and clinical failure, sometimes leading to opportunistic infection.

"We were elated when the High Court passed the verdict thinking that viral load testing facility would soon become a reality but all our hopes have been belied by the inaction of the respondents.

We would soon file a contempt of Court case in consultation with our counsel", Nolinikanta said.

Meanwhile, a well placed source informed that the High Court order could not be complied with due to lack of coordination among RIMS authority, MSACS and NACO.

Nonetheless, viral load testing machine/polymerase chain reaction laboratory of Microbiology Department, RIMS has been recognised by NACO as referral laboratory.

Requisite technicians have been trained and it is only awaiting certain kits and a formal letter from NACO to activate the laboratory, informed the source.

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