HIV-positive patients who depend on the county's clinic can breathe a sign of relief for now. Kings County officials this week conformed that clinic doors will remain open in Hanford at least until the end of the fiscal year, reversing their previous plan to close at the end of October.

The county initially served Dr. Annie Wong, the county's HIV physician specialist, a notice of termination of her contract in early October. But the action was met with a protest by Wong, along with concerned local doctors and patients. Wong and the county administration have since been in negotiation regarding the program, which has been recognized for its effectiveness.

The notice of termination has been rescinded, said Deb West, assistant county administrative officer.

"For right now, we're going to keep everything status quo. We've asked and Dr. Wong has been open-minded to at least explore other alternatives, knowing that we may have to look at potential funding losses," West said on Monday. "But at least for the remainder of this fiscal year we will continue status quo."

County Administrative Officer Larry Spikes is expected to present a formal letter of decision to the Board of Supervisors sometime this week, West said.

Wong, who has been advocating for the program, praised the move.

"I thank the county leadership for their support, and I also speak on behalf of the patients. They are also grateful that the program will continue," Wong said Monday in a phone interview from Philadelphia, where she was invited to present her clinic's achievements at a public health convention.

Under Wong's watch, Kings County has built up a highly effective HIV care program since 2001 -- so effective that University of Southern California AIDS experts call it a "model" for other rural communities in the nation struggling to provide high-quality HIV care.

According to the USC Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center, Kings County's HIV program has 98 percent of its 40 patients on anti-retroviral medications. All of those on medications have achieved undetectable levels of the virus in their systems, the center says.

"Local access to comprehensive HIV care in one location has resulted in an unprecedented level of success," Wong said. "This kind of model has a high-impact value for the public health of our community in lowering HIV transmission. We had five HIV-negative babies from HIV-positive mothers in the last few years. That's a very significant contribution to the community."

Questions still remain as to what the county will do with the program after July 1.

West said county health officials hope to explore various cost-saving options, including possibly forming a partnership with Adventist Health for providing HIV care. The county is still in the early stages of discussions, and it has yet to sit down with Adventist Health officials, she said.

"We think we should at least identify some alternatives. We still want to make sure that we have the continuity of care. It's a high priority," West said.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.

(Nov. 11, 2009)