HIV patients in Manipur hills at risk as medicine supplies disrupted

In Churachandpur in Manipur, 50-year-old Mimin Haokip has made multiple visits in the last three months to the nearest antiretroviral centre in the district hospital for the monthly stock of free HIV medication. Grappling with a shortage, the centre could only dispense medicines for a few days and has been asking him to return.

Haokip suffers from the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS, which weakens the immune system and is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus – HIV. He requires third-line medication every day to keep the viral load in control. Third-line medication is the most potent combination of drugs that a patient can be put on after they fail to respond to first-line and second-line treatment.

“Earlier, I would get medicines to last a month,” Haokip said. “Now I get medicines for 10 days and then I have to return for more.” The centre has no stock of Darunavir 600 mg, used for third-line treatment.

Haokip also requires a viral load test, to measure the viral load in his blood, and a CD4 test to measure his immunity levels. But the machine that carries out the CD4 test at the Churachandpur Hospital has broken down while the viral load test cannot be undertaken...

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