The Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS) on Saturday said that there is enough stock of the Anti-Retroviral (ARV) medicines at the moment, refuting a report published in a national media on shortage of the medicines.
In a statement, Project Director of MACS said that there are 14,376 people living with HIV (PLHIV) currently on ART in the state under the care of MACS as on January 31, 2023 and out of this, 13,242 (92 per cent) are on DTG based regimen.
Of the 13,243 (92 per cent) who are on DTG based regimen, 12,651 are on TLD (ARV medicines), the project director said, adding that MACS has enough TLD stock and other DTG based regimen. Currently, there are sufficient stocks of AL adults in the state, the release added.
It further pointed out that ARV drugs are centrally procured and supplied by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). However, since 28th September, 2022, SACSs have been instructed to locally procure two ARV drugs – AL paediatrics and ZL paediatrics, said the statement.
Accordingly, the medicines have been procured and there is enough stock for all the ARV medicines now and currently, there is no stock out situation of ARV medicines in Manipur, it clarified.
The Project Director further explained that in extreme conditions of total stock out situations of 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 happened and MACS has done reimbursements to PLHIVs after submitting proper bills and vouchers and other relevant documents, it said.
The article titled “Short Supply of HIV drug creates acute crisis in NE” in the national media is completely misleading and not based on facts, it lamented.
It alleged that such articles appear to be influenced by the 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.
MACS condemn such false and misconceived news and remain committed to work for the welfare of our PLHIV community and will ensure uninterrupted supply of ARV drugs always.
