Screening of HIV/Aids patients for Anti Retroviral [ARV] treatment at Fort Portal Referral hospital, has suffered a setback following the break down of the CD4 count machine.
The machine analyzes the progression of HIV and determines whether a person needs ARVs.
If a person's blood cell count is low, then they will start anti-retroviral therapy.
The machine from South Africa was donated to the hospital in 2005 by the Ministry of Health.
The hospital has been providing the CD4 count services free of charge but now patients are told to pay a fee of 11,000 shillings to use the machine that belongs to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC).
Other patients are referred to Virika and Kabarole Hospital, where they are also charged.
The hospital receives patients from the districts of Kyenjojo, Kamwenge, Bundibugyo and Kasese.
Patients are complaining that they can't afford the fee at JCRC and other hospitals.
Tusiime Kigambo from Mugusu who wants to know his CD4 count says that he has been sent to Kabarole Hospital but he lacks transport.
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He says that he isn't sure when to start ARVs.
Enid Byenkya from Kichwamba who has gone to the hospital several times to have her CD4 count says that JCRC should provide the service free of charge.
The acting medical superintendent Buhinga Hospital, Dr Kyebambe Kaliisa says that many patients go to the hospital in need of the CD4 count services but are told to go to other hospitals.
Kaliisa says the breakdown of the machine has also affected the Voluntary, Routine Counseling and Testing services at the hospital.
He also says that they have informed the Ministry of Health about the problem but the parts of the machine can't be found on the Ugandan market.
