Manipal Hospital launches helpline for HIV and AIDS

* Voluntary counselling and testing centre as per NACO guidelines

Bangalore, November 30, 2005: Manipal Hospital, in its endeavour to augment the services offered to the community has launched a ‘HIV and AIDS’ counselling helpline number as part of its commitment to the society, announced by Dr. Nagendra Swamy, Director – Medical Services and Post Graduate Studies, Manipal Hospital, on the occasion of World AIDS Day observed on the 1st of December every year.

The dedicated ‘HIV and AIDS Helpline’ number is 2502 4245, which will initially function from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all weekdays.

Well trained counsellors are available at the HIV & AIDS confidential counselling centre at Manipal Hospital to answer all queries related to the disease by providing free and confidential counselling. This service is backed by the hospital’s state-of-the-art HIV testing facility like Rapid, ELISA, PCR, Viral Load and CD4 counts, benchmarked to world standards being available to patients here.

A large number of those affected by the virus are unaware of their HIV status. According to the current estimate of WHO (World Health Organisation), 3.8 million people are infected in India, making it the second largest HIV AIDS population in the world. The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has projected the figure as 1.2 percent of the population in India being affected by the disease.

Manipal Hospital follows the International and NACO guidelines in providing treatment options in a non-discriminatory and confidential atmosphere that makes the HIV and AIDS voluntary counselling and testing centre unique.

Issued by:                                                     For further information, contact:

D.K. Venktesh                                                Dr. Satish K. Amarnath
Manipal Hospital & Heart Foundation            Manipal Hospital
Ph: 2502 3401 / 98454 50336                      Ph: 2524 3543 / 2502 4245