'Anti-retroviral therapy centres being set up in Almora, Tanakpur, Srinagar and Karnaprayag', says Uttarakhand health secretary

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 15 (ANI): As per the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, Health Secretary R Rajesh Kumar on Monday informed that Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres are being set up in Almora, Tanakpur, Srinagar and Karnaprayag.
The Health Secretary informed that ART centres have been established and made functional in Government Medical College, Srinagar, District Pauri Garhwal and Sub District Hospital, Karnaprayag, District Chamoli.
"About 200 patients in Government Medical College, Srinagar and about 150 patients in Sub District Hospital, Karnaprayag (Chamoli) will benefit from the start of ART. HIV-positive persons will get free medicines, regular checkup facilities, consultation and other facilities in ART centres," he said.
As per the order of the Health Secretary, about 300 people will be able to get ART facility soon by setting up an ART centre in Soban Singh Jeena Medical College, established in Almora district.
At present, around 300 patients of Almora district have to go to the ART Centre located at Sushila Tiwari Medical College, Haldwani to get medicines, which will now be available to them at their residences.
Meanwhile, the research wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department established Uttarakhand's first bird gallery at the Nature Education Centre, Jolly Grant, in Dehradun today.
This gallery showcases high-resolution images of Uttarakhand's birds, giving visitors an eye-catching display of the state's feathery inhabitants.
Some notable birds found in Uttarakhand include the Himalayan Monal, known for its iridescent plumage and also serving as the state bird; the White-capped Redstart, a striking bird often seen near streams and rivers; the Himalayan Griffon, a large vulture found in high-altitude regions; the Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, a vibrant woodpecker species found in forests; and the Black-headed Jay, a colourful and vocal bird commonly seen in wooded areas.
For visitors' convenience, the bird images in the gallery are divided into ten distinctive sections, each representing a different category of birds, such as ground foraging birds, raptors, woodpeckers, water birds, pheasants, migration birds, arboreal birds, bulguls, kingfishers, and vultures. (ANI)