Patna: PMCH gets first HIV viral load testing lab

PATNA: The first HIV viral load testing laboratory in the state was inaugurated in the department of microbiology of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Monday. Its funded by the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO).
Inaugurating the lab, Bihar State Aids control Society project director Anshul Agarwal said this new facility would help in assessing the load of virus in the patients suffering from HIV so as to provide the right line of treatment.This lab will provide the viral load assessment free of cost.
“The antiretroviral treatment (ART) centres situated in all the districts would send their samples to this lab having the capacity of assessment of 100 samples in a shift. If there is a load of samples, the testing capacity would be increased by doubling the daily shift,” said Anshul.
No individual or organisation other than ART centres would have the liberty to send their samples for test in this lab.
Though presently this lab would serve only HIV patients, its area of test may be widened for the samples of Hepatitis B and C after certain customisation in the medical tool, he said.
Head of the PMCH microbiology department, Dr Ranjan Kumar Shrivastav, said this lab would prove a boon in microbiological investigation and provide actual status of viral load in the HIV positive patients.
PMCH medical superintendent Dr IS Thakur and and principal Dr VP Choudhary, besides BSACS officials NK Gupta and Rajesh Kumar, were present on the occasion.