CHENNAI: People living with HIV/AIDS are in a fix as shortage of second line anti-retroviral therapy (ART) drugs in the State continue. Palpable anger and tension are writ large on their faces as they struggle to cope with the drug shortage. “I have come all the way from Madurai to collect the drug. The medicine that I got will last for 15 days only. They have asked me to come back after 15 days. I am worried whether I will develop resistance or whether my health will deteriorate if I am not able to come back on time or if they don’t have stocks,” Meiyammani (name changed), a 41-year-old government servant, told Express while at the second-line ART centre in Tambaram Sanatorium on Wednesday.In Tamil Nadu, about 750 people are estimated to be taking this treatment, which is a combination of highly advanced drugs meant to fight HIV infection and increase life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS. The drug is given free by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).Karunanidhi, who takes treatment at the Salem centre and was given drugs only for four days on July 18, said, “How can NACO and Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) be this irresponsible? These drugs cost `9,000 for a month in the market. How many of us can afford to buy it from the market? Many of the people with HIV are daily wage labourers. Are their lives cheap? What if they develop drug resistance due to drug shortage.”“The drugs have a three-year expiry date. It is not like buying some provisions or mangoes that will rot if stored for a long time. This error of judgement from NACO can impact the lives of many. I don’t understand how they didn’t foresee this shortage,” rued Daisy David, another person living with HIV/AIDS.Noori, who has been living with the condition for the last two decades, was given paediatric ART drugs at the Tambaram second-line ART centre a week ago. “Why are they giving paediatric drugs to us? I am worried if this will affect my health.” Meanwhile, Dr Thennarasu, regional coordinator, care, support and treatment, TANSACS, expressed anguish over the drug shortage. “The drug shortage has inconvenienced them (people living HIV/AIDS) and pill burden (to match the adult dosage they need to swallow more number of paediatric pills). I assure them not to panic about taking the paediatric drugs as we are giving them an adult dosage. By this month-end, the crisis will be resolved. Also, the NACO is taking necessary steps to ensure that there will be enough availability of drugs for the next two years,” Thennarasu said.He attributed the shortage to the opening of more second-line ART centres across the country. But, the HIV positive community claimed that more people from first- line treatment have now graduated to the second- line treatment, though only two second-line ART centres—in Tambaram and Salem--are present.
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