The ART Center established in the Chandka Medical College Hospital’s Children Hospital is facing many challenges, including the dismal shortage of vital facilities.
The centre was established in haste by Sindh AIDS Control Program (SACP) after the massive outbreak of HIV cases among children of Ratodero and its nearby areas.
It has now been revealed that some record of affected children was also misplaced, which was deemed necessary for uninterrupted treatment.
Only 100 3rd kits were still available at the centre, despite the fact that so far, 607 children had been detected at Ratodero Screening Camps till June 1.
These kits were being used to reconfirm the HIV virus.
As per sources, so far, 457 affected children from Dakhan, Garhi Yasin, Sujawal Junejo, and Jacobabad apart from Ratodero had also reported at this centre.
Yet, their treatment record was not being properly maintained due to which it could not be ascertained how many positive cases had reached the centre from Ratodero.
Reliable sources claimed that out of 607 cases, 440 had reached the centre and 167 were still missing.
Out of 457 children, CD-4 test of 227 was carried out and their treatment was started while 230 were still found on the waiting list, which proved that SACP was completely incompetent to cope up with the emergency-like situation.
Still, over 390 children were deprived of treatment.
The entry of the children was made in a register instead of making their proper files, which showed the negligence.
Meanwhile, the same situation prevailed in the laboratory, which was established in a single room. Therein tests for Hepatitis B, C, HIV (on 3rd test kit) and CD-4 were also conducted while other major tests including x-rays, the poor patients were sent to the Central Laboratory in this sizzling hot weather.
Kits for LFT, SGPT& CBC tests, etc. were also unavailable in this large hospital for long, which has exposed the tall claims of rulers of providing state-of-the-art health care facilities to the residents of Sindh.
While 150 kits for Hepatitis B and C remained in the stock, including 100 3rd kits for HIV, which would be consumed within two days and further unavailability would cause delays in the treatment of the children, who have already suffered a lot due to utter negligence of others.
This situation had also exposed the claims of SACP that they had placed supply orders for procurement of kits after receipt of funds, which seemed impossible in the view of SPPRA rules.
It was also learnt that 20 HIV-positive children were infected with Hepatitis C and one with B yet their treatment had not commenced.
It had also been disclosed that 10 per cent of the record of the registered children was missing, which was very astonishing.
Some of the parents told newsmen that they had been here for one week, but tests were still not completed. They said they had also got a few tests from outside and paid from their own pocket to save the precious lives of their children.
HIV Paeds Ward Incharge, Dr Irfan Shaikh, confirmed that 457 children had so far reached here while the treatment of many had been started.
He said that 10 per cent of the children’s record had been misplaced due to rush.
He added that only 100 kits for reconfirmation remained in stock while a letter had been sent to Islamabad for more kits. According to the WHO team’s instructions, he claimed, biodata and the complete record of the patients was being compiled and files were also being prepared. No child was sent back home without tests or treatment as they had a large stock of medicines, he concluded.