Chitwan, January 21

Seventy-five per cent HIV-infected patients have complained of side effects due to lack of standard medicines.

Sub-standard medicines have caused liver and uterine ailments and sore throat among HIV infected people who are under medication.

Speaking at a press meet in Bharatpur, Chitwan, today, Achyut Sitaula, chair of the Federation of National HIV/AIDS said patients had been facing problems due to lack of standard medicines.

Sitaula said antiretroviral drugs had affected liver and diabetic patients and those suffering from high blood pressure and uterine cancer among other health problems and diseases.

“These problems surfaced after the state bought sub-standard medicines for the HIV-infected,” he added. He further argued that the problems were non-existent in developed countries where standard medications were available. “Low quality medicines are in use in our country that directly affects the health of patients,” he claimed.

As many as 100 representatives from across the country participated in the programme that issued an 11-point manifesto. The document states that 65 per cent HIV-infected people have  also been affected by tuberculosis. It has also highlighted that HIV patients are at a higher risk of Hepatitis C that could potentially cause the patients’ death.

It is said HIV-infected people tend to go to India for employment while still under medication and the disease spreads as medicines are not easily available in India.

HIV patients are deprived of health rights as they are misbehaved with at hospitals, schools and work stations, among other places. HIV patients have complained that the state has done nothing for children born to HIV-infected parents and have appealed to the government and donor agencies for help. Around 33,000 people are HIV-infected in Nepal. Of them, 13,000 have are taking medication.