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| India is sitting on a volcano | | Nearly 5.2 million people are HIV-infected | | EARLY TIMES SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, July 4: National Aids Coordination Organisation (NACO) has put out a highly sensational piece of information: India has nearly 5.2 million HIV-infected people.
NACO's chairwoman, Sujatha Rao, is aware of the finding of a UNAids survey, which has revealed thaat the number of HIV-infected people in India is 5.7 million. Instead of drawing herself into discusion on this figure, she says that the diference is due to the diference in methodology.
Gulf News has quoted Sujatha Rao as saying that there was "no need for a new strategy" for NACO. She wants it to build up on the strategies already evolved. She did admit that it is indeed a challenge to administer medication to Aids-affected people because not many of them come forward due to the social stigma still attached to the disease.
NACO is stepping up the campaign against the disease and aims to provide free Anti Retroviral (ARV) drugs to 100,000 patients by early next year. "The Anti-Retroviral drug has been administered to over 35,000 patients so far and we plan give it to 100,00 people by early next year," Sujata Rao revealed in reply to a question.
Is she satisfied that there there is not huge a difference between the estimates of NACO and that of UNAids? Her reported reply: There was never any difference between the national and international figures. The difference even in these figures is due to the difference in methodologies.
Is not the AIDS situation in India as alarmist as it was portrayed about five to six years ago? Sujatha Rao's answer: "It is certainly not alarmist compared to the projections made then. But there is no room for complacency. Aids is an epidemic that can spread like wildfire".
Is the budget allocation for getting the medicines sufficient? "It is sufficient to offer the first line medication which comprises generic medicines. The cost of an ARV kit is Rs3,000. But second line medication, which comprises patented medicines that cost $500 (Rs200,000), is beyond our reach".
What is the legislation that is coming with regard to AIDS-affected people? The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has prepared a draft Bill, which lays down the rights of AIDS-affected people. They cannot be discriminated against at the work place, the children of AIDS-affected parents cannot be denied admission in schools, and the affected people cannot be turned away from hospitals. |
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