About CST
The Care Support and Treatment of people living with HIV (PLHIV) is an important
component of Uttar Pradesh State Aids Control Society (UPSACS), Phase IV (NACP IV)
and aims to provide comprehensive management to PLHIV with respect to prevention
and treatment of Opportunistic Infections, Antiretroviral Theory (ART), psychological
support, home based care, positive prevention and impact mitigation.
All diagnostic as well as therapeutic services related to ART are provided free of cost to PLHIVs.
Any person who has confirmed HIV infection is registered in HIV care at ART centre
and is subjected to CD 4 count and baseline investigation. All those eligible as
per national technical guidelines are started on ART.
Over the years, scale up of
ART in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has posed several challenges, particularly
with reference to infrastructure, regular supply of drugs, quality of care, adherence
to treatment etc. Reaching out to ‘Lost to Follow-up’ (LFU) cases and convincing
them to re-initiate the treatment has been very challenging. The objective of linking
prevention with access to prophylaxis, management of opportunistic infections and
ART to achieve ‘continuum of care’, the state had tried and achieved such linkages
at many places. At other places, however, this is yet to be achieved.
The strategy
includes identification of institutions, strengthening referral linkages for CD4
testing, capacity building of ART teams and provision of ARV drugs. Care, support
and treatment services include management of opportunistic infections including
control of TB in PLHA, anti-retroviral treatment (ART), safety measures, positive
prevention and impact mitigation.
All diagnostic as well as therapeutic services related to ART are
provided free of cost to PLHIV. Any person who has a confirmed HIV infection is
registered in HIV care at ART centre and is subjected to further evaluation for
determining whether she /he requires ART or not by performing CD 4 count and other
baseline investigations. All those eligible as per national technical guidelines
are started on ART.