NACO: A paradigm shift in Indian HIV/AIDS policy

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

I have kept you posted on the Petition filed by us in Supreme Court for the ARV

drugs toi be provided in all government hospitals in the country, and the other

measures like training, infrastructure, drug-pricing, compulsory licensing and

raising resources. The Supreme Court had issued notices to the central and state

governments in August 2003, pursuant to which the Central Government announced

in December 2003 that ARVs will be provided to one lakh positive persons in six

high incidence states by April 1, 2004.

While the government has not filed any paper in the court apprising the court of

this development, we have reliably learnt that the government is proposing the

following, officially:

" We are now introducing in India, a paradigm shift in the national AIDS control

programme. Between September and November 2003, Union Minister for Health &

Family Welfare Smt. Sushma Swaraj finalized and announced a strong policy cum

programme commitment for provisioning anti-retroviral treatment to 100,000

people living with HIV/AIDS, free of cost, with implementation starting on 1st

April, 2004. GOI will provide ART in government hospitals in six high

prevalence states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Manipur

and Nagaland. In Phase I of implementation, the sub-groups among the PLHAs being

targeted on priority are : (i) sero-positive mothers who have participated in

the PPTCT programme; (ii) seropositive children below the age of 15 years; and

(iii) people with AIDS who seek treatment in government hospitals.

GOI is pursuing its dialogue with the pharmaceutical industry and is reviewing

fiscal incentives in order to optimize additional potential reductions in the

cost of ART drugs.

We are looking at possibly a 100 fold increase in public sector provision of ARV

treatment, and a 50 fold increase in overall numbers accessing ART in government

hospitals. These are ambitious targets. The primary responsibility for meeting

the target lies with the medical and para-medical communities across the six

high prevalence states entrusted with the responsibility of administering the

current regimens of ART. The technical supervision and coordination provided by

the State AIDS Control Societies and by NACO must ensure compliance with the

guidelines for implementation, as well as achievement of goals and objectives. "

The Government has further proposed the future target which is:

" To place 100,000 AIDS cases on structured ART by the end of 2005 and be able to

provide treatment to additional of 15-20% of AIDS cases each year, thereafter,

for a period of five years. "

We are sending this information so that we have your responses to them,

particularly the numbers that the government is prepared to deal with, now and

over the next five years, which we can present to the court. The aspect that the

announcement also leaves lots of issues ambiguous could also be looked into.

Also, if you are planning to have local level meetings on this issue, please let

us know since we would like to participate.

Please send you feedback as soon as possible.

SHRUTI PANDEY,

ADVOCATE

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