Patna, Sept. 7: The only drop-in centre for counselling of HIV/AIDS infected people at Mahendru in the capital is on the verge of shutting down, thanks to the alleged carelessness and apathy of the officials at Bihar AIDS Control Society.

The centre, which is run by a network of People Living with HIV/AIDS with the help of National AIDS Control Organisation (Naco) funds, has even been issued notice to vacate the building as the facility has not paid the rent for the past nine months.

According to sources, the drop-in centre in the city runs on an establishment cost of Rs 22,000 a month. “This includes the salaries of counsellors, supporting staff and accountants, rent and other costs. Naco sends annual funds to Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS) for running three drop-in centres in Bihar, the other two being at Katihar and Lakhisarai. However, for reasons best known to the BSACS functionaries, we have not been issued a single penny in the past nine months,” said Gyan Ranjan, the state president, People Living With HIV/ AIDS.

He also said the centre aims to care and counsel people with HIV positive.

“We usually receive 5-7 HIV positive persons at the centre in a day. Our endeavour is to promote positive living among them and improve their quality of life, to end the discrimination attached with the disease, to build their capacity and skills, to establish their linkage with existing health services, NGOs and other welfare programmes and to promote and protect their rights. However, our activities have almost stopped because of severe financial crunch,” Ranjan said.

The group also collects names of new HIV positive persons who turn up at Anti- Retroviral Therapy centre at Patna Medical College and Hospital to get drugs. The counsellors then provide family counseling to those who have dropped out of medication, are erratic or suffer from psychological or emotional issues.