New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) has opened 37 new HIV treatment centres taking the total number of such centres providing free treatment to patients to 91.

Besides these 91 free Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) centres, nine more centres were getting ready, a health and family welfare ministry statement said Thursday.

Medicines for treating 85,000 patients have been made available at these centres that also have specially appointed and trained doctors, counsellors and laboratory technicians to help initiate patients on the ART and follow up regularly.

The ART is a combination of three potent drugs and is given to those suffering from the advanced stage of AIDS. Although these drugs do not cure the HIV infection, they suppress multiplication of the virus and reduce the number of opportunistic infections.

At present 40,000 patients are availing the ART and the number is expected to go up to 85,000 by March 2007.

The ART improves the quality of life and prolongs the life span of patients. However, continuity is the most important factor for the long-term effectiveness of the ART drugs as disruption can lead to drug resistance.