Next time if an HIV patient in Goa misses his monthly drug regimen, he will get an SMS alert reminding him about the dosage.

The state-run Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) has worked out an arrangement with various mobile service providers in the coastal state to launch this unique facility.

GSACS project director Dr Rajnanda Desai told PTI that several patients are irregular in taking the drugs, which can worsen their situation or force them to the next level of treatment.

"It's a big challenge to ensure that they (patients) don't skip the medicine," she said, adding that the state government's Information Technology Corporation has helped the project by developing the special software.

"In many cases, patients don't understand the seriousness of taking treatment. Many a times they tend to forget to take it. SMS alert will help them," she added.

According to GSACS officials at times they tried calling up patients on regular basis but the task became cumbersome as there are thousands of patients who are on the treatment.

"Also, their privacy becomes an issue. So it is better to use SMSes which will keep identity of the person secret," claimed an official.

As on date, Goa has about 14486 HIV and 1546 AIDS patients.