When children, and adults, have a lot of the HIV virus in their system, measured by testing their blood, they are given special anti-viral drug treatment. There is as yet, despite recent claims in the press, no cure for HIV. The antiviral drugs, known collectively as ART, slow down the progression of HIV and delay the progression of the disease, through five identified stages, to the final stage of AIDS.
The threshold at which both children and adults start ART is debated by scientists but it is generally agreed by WHO (The World Health Organisation) that ART should be started when the blood CD4 count is close to, or falls below, 350. However many HIV specialsits recommend treatment should begin at 500.
(CD4 cells are part of the body's infection fighting system).
95% of HIV is found in Low and Middle - income countries. India counts as a Middle income country. The Indian Government provides free ART treatment to those who register at its HIV/ART testing centres. Patients have to take themselves to the testing centres in the large towns for a blood test and register if proved positive. They have to go to the centre every month to collect ART medicines and every three to six months to have new blood tests.
In the poor agricultural area where Brighter Future works many of our patients cannot afford the bus fares to go to collect thier medicines. Many are widows and do not know that they and their children have been infected by their husbands, or at birth. This is why our Project, which actively seeks out those who may have HIV/AIDS by surveying villages in Srikakulam District, is so important. Brighter Future has found 626 patients and taken them to be tested.
When I left India in February 2014 the poorest HIV infected people, to whom we give food parcels, (see the Finding and Feeding tab) told me that the government centres were only giving ART medicines for 10 days. Patients were asked to come back every 10 days as there was a shortage of medicine. This imposed a huge physical and financial burden, on these weak and mainly unemployed widows. The ladies also said that patients were not being given ART until their blood count had fallen to 200 - until they were more sick and symptomatic. In Vizianagaram district some of our the children had to be below 350 to start treatment.
Now Victor has written to say that our children have not had any ART medicine for the last 12 days. ART medicine for the under 12's is not available in Andhra Pradesh. It is rumoured to be avail able at the end of the month.
It is risky to stop ART treatment. It can increase opportunistic infections like TB, lead to drug resistance, lower the CD4 count and increase viral load.
Until the ART is available our children are being given extra protein, and continue their vitamins, supplements and prophylaxis to ward off opportunistic infections.
People living with HIV globally
·
35.3 million people living with
HIV worldwide
·
47% of people living with HIV worldwide
are women
·
1.6 million AIDS-related deaths
New HIV cases around the globe in
2012
·
2.3 million people diagnosed with HIV
·
6,300 new HIV infections a day
·
260 000 new HIV infections among
children
·
95% are in low- and middle-income
countries
All global figures
from UNAIDS
Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of registered HIV cases in India.
Many are still undiagnosed.
Your donations help Brighter to care for HIV/AIDS children and adults in our Hospice. Children like Vijaya and Nilaveni. 
