7.35 Lakh waits for AIDS Therapy

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From TIMES OF INDIA - 1st July 2005, Delhi Edition

7.35 lakh wait for AIDS therapyB Less Than 9% Of Those In Need Get

Antiretroviral Cure

By Vividha Kaul/TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: There is more by way of confirmation that India is not waging the HIV

war hard enough. An interim WHO-UNAIDS report on global access to HIV

Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has said India is

second after South Africa in terms of the number of people who don't have access

to AIDS treatment.

ART is recommended for people who have already developed AIDS and those with

symptomatic HIV infection. In India, ART coverage is a measly 4-9%. In terms of

absolute numbers, it translates into a

mere 33,000-67,000.

Shockingly, the 'unmet need' in India or the number of people aged 0-49 in need

of antiretroviral treatment in 2005, minus the estimated number of people

receiving treatment in June this year, stands at 7,35,000 - almost

three-quarters of a million.

In late 2003, WHO and UNAIDS had started a '3 by 5' strategy - to ensure

treatment for 3 million people living with HIV/AIDS in low-and middle-income

countries by the end of 2005. South Africa leads the

pack with an 'unmet need' of 8,66,000. Other countries with high 'unmet needs'

are Nigeria (5,98,000), Tanzania (3,07,000) and Mozambique (2,04,000). China, in

comparison, has an 'unmet

need' of only 65,000.

On November 30, 2003, the Union government had announced a plan to place

1,00,000 HIV/AIDS cases on structured anti-retroviral therapy by 2005 and 15-20%

additional cases thereafter for five years.

IN POOR HEALTH

Govt planned to ensure AIDS treatment for 3 million people by end of 2005

Till June, 7,35,000 people still don't have access to HIV antiretroviral therapy

Only South Africa has a higher figure of 8,66,000. On the other hand, the

corresponding figure in China is a lowly 65,000

__________________________________

From TIMES OF INDIA - 1st July 2005, Delhi Edition

HIV therapy only in 6 states

Vividha Kaul/TNN

New Delhi: HIV Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), which is recommended for people who

have already developed AIDS and those with symptomatic HIV infection, is

available in six high-prevalence states in India.

These are Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and

Delhi.

In November last year, Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss had said the

figures of AIDS prevalence did not reflect the picture correctly as a state like

UP - which has the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) - is

still classified as a low-prevalence state in terms of AIDS.

ART was started in eight hospitals in the country and is set to be extended to

25 hospitals. In Delhi, ART had been started at LNJP Hospital and Ram Manohar

Lohia Hospital.