ART services for HIV patients launched

Vijayawada (NTR district): Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society Joint Director Dr Subrahmanyam complimented the Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM) and Apollo Tyres CSR under public private partnership to start Link ART Centre for the benefit of the HIV patients at the Health Care Centre, run by Apollo Tyres. He inaugurated the ART Centre here on Thursday.

Dr Subrahmanyam recalled that the Facility Integrated Counselling, Testing Centre was started by Vasavya Mahila Mandali with the cooperation of Apollo Tyres in 2017. It is good they started Link ART services here for the benefit of 800 persons. NTR district AIDS Control officer Dr Usha Rani announced that more Link ART services would be introduced in other places. She appealed to people to avail the services of the government and voluntary service organisations.

Apollo Tyres ABU Manager John Kiran Kumar said that they are providing services to the transport sector employees through 31 health care centres across the country. Noted physician Dr G Samaram appealed to the HIV victims not to get disheartened since good medicines are available for them. 'If they take medicines and nutritious food regularly keeping off the vices, they could lead a longer life.'

VMM president Dr B Keerthi recalled that the staff at the health care centre has been providing yeomen services to the patients of HIV, TB, diabetes, hypertension and ophthalmology for the last 12 years. The peer educators are extending good cooperation to run medical camps and awareness meetings. VMM secretary G Rashmi, medical director Dr P Deeksha, district project manager P Kiran, project officer of Share India MV John Wesley, Peer Educators Dr Umakant, Avadhanam and the staff of VMM also participated.