Masindi gets centre for HIV patients

Sep 14, 2008

MASINDI leaders are optimistic that the opening of the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) in the district will help address the HIV/AIDS problem.

By Arthur Baguma

MASINDI leaders are optimistic that the opening of the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) in the district will help address the HIV/AIDS problem.

“HIV/AIDS infections have been of great concern to us. Now that we have a centre, patients will access drugs easily,” said the resident district commissioner, Mugisha Muhwezi.

JCRC opened its 52nd regional centre that will offer free anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), voluntary counselling and testing.

Executive director Prof. Peter Mugyenyi said: “We have enough ARVS in stock, despite the acute shortage and scarcity worldwide.”

Bunyoro Kingdom’s deputy prime minister Eng. Ernest Kiiza thanked the JCRC for bringing the services nearer to the people.

The Masindi Hospital superintendent, Dr. Bate Kalinanke, said the district had 1,527 registered HIV/AIDS cases of whom only 371 were on ARVs.

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