CHENNAI: A shortage of second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs for children living with HIV/AIDS in Tamil Nadu may affect adherence to the treatment regimen, cautioned medical professionals as well as members of HIV positive persons networks. However, officials denied these claims and maintained that the State has enough stock of the drugs Atazanavir and Ritonavir.
"There is certainly a shortage of Atazanavir and Ritonavir, so the children are being given another set of drugs. The problem is that with a new regimen, they develop new side effects and then adherence to treatment fails. Parents also get more worried," said a member of an HIV positive persons network on condition of anonymity.
Another member of a network said the shortage is State-wide. "The children are supposed to get a combination of four drugs Atazanavir and Ritonavir and Tenofovir and Lamivudine. Since there is a shortage or Atazanavir and Ritonavir, only Tenofovir and lamivudine are being given," this person said.
"However, that combination might not work for some children, and they are reliant on the standard regimen. Else they might skip drugs, become weak, get other health complications and die," said another member.
A doctor working in the field of HIV/AIDS said there is a shortage of other ART drugs for adults as well in some districts and blamed ART medical officers for failing to inform the State AIDS Control Society of shortfalls.
"The medical officer knows best how many people living with HIV/AIDS in that area require drugs and how much to stock. But many fail to do this. There is also a short supply of drugs at the national level which is slowly being resolved," the doctor said.
Asked about this, TN Hariharan, Project Director of the Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Society, said there is no shortage of drugs.
"TANSACS has adequate stock for the next two months. National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) instructed us to provide drugs to patients for three months during the lockdown. We complied. Now we are providing the drugs monthly as doctors will check the patient’s health their sugar, BP levels, etc. and prescribe based on their condition," he said.