The testing centre and (bottom) the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph pictures

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 10: Anjana Sethi visited the Capital Hospital today, fourth time in a month, only to return disappointed. The 35-year-old expecting mother and hundreds like her have to visit the ICTC (Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre) for the mandatory HIV test, which has not been done in the premier government hospital for the last one month due to absence of the HIV test kits.

“Today, we have come here for the fourth time and again they are asking us to come on Monday,” said Anjana’s husband Parshuram Sethi.

“It has been more than a month since the hospital has run out of the HIV testing kits,” said the counsellor at the ICTC lab. “We have informed the matter to the Orissa State Aids Control Society (OSACS) that supplies us the kit,” said the counsellor on condition of anonymity.

Majority of clients, who avail of counselling and testing services here, are pregnant women. The tests help prevent transmission of HIV from the infected pregnant mothers to their infants. Apart from the expecting mothers, sex workers and their clients, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender, injecting drug users (IDUs), truckers, migrant workers, spouses and children, too, visit the hospital for check-up.

“Since the kits are not available, the HIV-infected mothers would not have been intimated about their status, thus passing on the virus to their foetus,” the counsellor said.

Everyday, at least 30 to 40 women get their HIV tests done at the Capital Hospital. Although the test can be conducted at private clinics, it would cost the patients Rs 500 to Rs 600 per tests. “While the charges are huge outside, it’s free at the Capital Hospital. Also the tests, done here, are more authentic as they are confirmed three times. However, the private practitioners test it only once. Moreover, the counselling, given at ICTC centre, is beneficial,” said one Benudhar Nayak.

“Even in case the private practitioners find it positive, they cannot explain the following procedures,” he said.

OSACS joint director Jyotsna Pattnaik said that they were aware of the situation of non-availability of the HIV kits at the hospital. “In fact, we had run out of kits everywhere across the state. However, the kits, which are supplied by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), have arrived now. Since they had some issues with the supplier, there was a problem in procurement,” she said.

“We had to divert kits from Tamil Nadu on an emergency basis with the permission from the NACO,” Jyotsna said.

Bhubaneswar, December 10: 35-year old Anjana Sethi visited the Capital hospital today; the fourth time this month only to return disappointed. The expecting mother and hundreds like her reaching the ICTC (Integrated Counselling and Testing Center) for the mandatory HIV test are being turned away.

“We have come the fourth time and today they are asking us to come on Monday,” said Anjanas’ husband Parshuram Sethi.

The Capital Hospital is the premier government hospital in the Capital.

It’s been more than a month since the states premier hospital has run out of the HIV testing kits, agreed the counselor at the ICTC lab not wanting to be named. “We have informed the matter to the Orissa State Aids Control Society that supplies us the kit,” she said.

Majority of clients who access counselling and testing services are pregnant women. The tests confirm the status of the women and thus help preventing the transmission of HIV from infected pregnant mothers to their infants.

Not just pregnant mothers, but vulnerable subpopulations including sex workers and their clients, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender, injecting drug users (IDUs), truckers, migrant workers, spouses and children of men who are prone to risky behavior reaching the hospital do not have any access to HIV tests for the unavailability of the kits.

“Since the kits are not available, mothers who are HIV affected would not have been intimated about their status thus passing on the virus to their foetus,” the counselor said.

At least 30 to 40 women get their HIV tests done at the Capital hospital. Although the test is possible at private clinics, it would cost the patients Rs 500 to Rs 600 per tests. “Its free at the capital hospital but the charges are huge outside. Also the tests done here are more authentic as they are confirmed three times. However private practitioners test it only once. Moreover the counselling given at ICTC center is valuable,” said Benudhar Nayak, the technician.

“Even in case they find the case positive, private practitioners cannot really explain the following procedures,” said he.

OSACS Joint Director Jyotsna Pattnaik said admitted that there were no kits for more than a month. “In fact we had run out of kits everywhere across the state. But the kits have arrived now. The kits are supplied by NACO. Since they had some issues with the supplier, there was a problem in procurement,” she said.

“We had to on an emergency basis divert kits from Tamilnadu with the permission from NACO,” Pattnaik said.