Pharma firm launches Taal for HIV/AIDS patients

January 29, 2006

Express News Service

Ludhiana, January 29: A PHARMA company, Emcure Pharmaceuticals,

launched the first of its kind pharmacy for HIV/AIDS patients

termed `Taal'. The pharmacy has been launched with the help of

Network of Positive People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+), Network of

Maharashtra by People Living with HIV/AIDS (IMP+) and Human

Development Resource Network (HDRN).

The official statement released today stated that `Taal' is a first

of its kind pharmacy partnership initiative in India, which helps

reach out to people living with HIV/AIDS and offer them a treatment

in a more humane environment. It is unique because of the fact that

it is run by people afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

The pharmacy's first prerogative is to dispense anti-retroviral

drugs and drugs for opportunistic infections at subsidised costs for

people inflicted with the virus all over country. `Taal' will also

have counselling services and will facilitate access to medical

advice regarding treatment for HIV positive people.

Director Operations, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited, A.K. Khanna

stated that there are more than 5 million HIV infected people in

India making it the second on the global map. `` What makes it

difficult to manage and treat the epidemic is the social stigma,

discrimination and ostracization of persons infected with the

virus,'' said Khanna.

``With this unique pharmacy, Emcure has joined hands with like-

minded people from NMP+, INP+ & HDRN to further our effort, to fight

this social stigma and allow people living with HIV/AIDS to seek

treatment with dignity,'' he added.

While Emcure will provide the drugs, NPM+ and INP+ will manage the

programme. Apart from medicines, `Taal' will also provide

consultation on treatment, counselling and advocacy to People Living

with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). In the coming months, the concept will be

replicated in many other cities in India, with high prevalence of

HIV/AIDS.

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