AIDS test centre at hospital

Kurseong, May 29: An Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) for AIDS was opened at Kurseong Subdivisional Hospital today.

D.T. Sherpa, the secretary of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council’s health department, inaugurated the centre on the hospital premises, which would also have a neo-natal care unit for pregnant women.

“The centre has been established keeping in mind the increasing number of patients and their social stigma. It has been set up under the instruction of the National Aids Control organisation and funded by the Bengal government. The neo-natal unit, however, is the effort of some of the prominent people here who have donated equipment for it” said P.K.Sharma, the superintendent of the hospital.

A test for AIDS is currently done at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri and at the voluntary counselling and testing centre in Darjeeling District Hospital.

From now on, any person who is suspected to be infected by AIDS can walk up to the centre here and get the test done. “Several NGOs working on spreading awareness about the disease can also get their patients tested. High-risk groups like sex workers and men having sex with men can also go for testing at the ICTC. The centre will not expose the person’s identity to anyone,” said Sharma.

According to the superintendent, pregnant women admitted to the hospital will also be tested for AIDS before delivery. “If a person is tested positive, the hospital will take care of him/her.”

The centre will also provide counselling to both the patients and their relatives to tackle the social stigma attached to the disease, said Sharma.