TILOTTAMA: Dysfunctional of the CD4 count machine at Lumbini Zonal Hospital has affected people living with HIV/AIDS in the region.

The service was closed some months ago but efforts have not been made to resume the service, forcing the affected people to go to Kathmandu for the tests.

The HIV affected persons should take the medicine if their CD4 is less than a certain level.

Currently, ART Centre at the Lumbini Zonal Hospital is collecting the blood of the affected persons to send it to the capital city for the CD4 count test, Programme Coordinator at the ARC Centre Dharmaraj Bhattarai said.

Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital Rajendra Prasad Khanal said that demands are made to bring the new machine at the hospital for the service resumption.