An HIV/AIDS poster on the Red Ribbon Express coach. File picture

Ranchi, July 24: With the aim of reaching out to HIV affected persons in the state, Jharkhand State AIDS Control Society (JSACS) would soon set up 10 more link Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres across Jharkhand.

At present, there are eight link ART centres. The places where the ART centres would come up are Dumka, Godda, Pakur, Ramgarh, Khunti, Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega, Latehar and Seraikela. These centres would provide facilities for free blood tests for HIV, medicines for the affected and also counselling.

The link ART centres would be connected with four full-fledged ART centres; Rajendra Institute of Medical Science in Ranchi, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Jamshedpur, Pataliputra Medical College and Hospital in Dhanbad and the ART centre in Hazaribagh.

This apart, the JSACS also has plans to open two more full-fledged ART centres in Daltonganj and Deoghar.

Speaking to The Telegraph, JSACS project director Aradhana Patnaik said, “With the new plans in place, we can now reach out to people across Jharkhand.”

As of now, the affected people get their blood tested at the link ART centre closest to their village, usually in the district headquarters. Those found with serious problems are referred to the ART centres for specialised care. People who respond to treatment and those who are in the initial stages are referred back to the centres.

As travelling to the centres can be expensive for the patients, they receive medical care at their doorsteps through link ART, said a JSACS official. In March 2010, the JSACS had organised a blood test for around 1.3 lakh people from the villages situated along the national and state highways, out of which 6,265 people were found HIV positive.

Though Jharkhand is considered a low prevalence state for HIV and AIDS according to an estimation by the National Aids Control Organisation, the virus still has affected almost 20,000 people here.

The JSACS has plans to set up Red Ribbon Clubs among youths in the villages, who will encourage people to go for blood tests and spread awareness about safety measures. “We plan to open 100 such clubs in different villages and educational institutions across the state this year,” Patnaik said.