PATNA: 50-bed facility for HIV positive people in state

PATNA: The state health department on Friday signed a non-financial memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Spain based Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to run a 50-bed hospital in Patna for people detected HIV positive.

Under its ‘Integrated care of complex opportunistic infectious diseases’ project, the MSF will set up the facility at Guru Gobind Singh hospital in Patna. The state health department has provided the space for that while the MSF will bear all its logistic and staff cost.

The state government will provide only the required policy and administrative support for the smooth functioning of the state-of-the-art facility.

“There is no dedicated centre in Bihar to provide holistic care (medical, psychological, nutritional and palliative care) for HIV positive people. The immune system in HIV positive people weakens and they are at risk for opportunistic infections (OIs). Bihar government is committed to providing special care for HIV and comorbidity treatment in the state,” a health department official said.

He said the partnership is expected to develop the capacity to treat immunocompromised people in the state with opportunistic infections. “The main purpose of the collaboration is to provide holistic care for severe infectious diseases in immunocompromised conditions. With this new initiative, the institute at Guru Gobind Singh hospital will become a centre of excellence in the state,” the official said.