NACP III and the Government of India Budget for 2007-08

[Guest guest]

The following is the text from the Government of India Union Budget for 2007-08.

" HIV/AIDS: NACP-III, starting in 2007-08, to target high risk groups;

access to condoms to be expanded and universal access to blood screening and

safe blood to be ensured; more hospitals to provide treatment to prevent

transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child; provision for AIDS control

programme to be Rs.969 crore. "

[Moderators comment: It is interesting to note that the budget is still using

the language of " high risk groups " . Somebody should tell the finance minister

that there is no group called " high risk group " . No mention of the needs of the

people who are vulnerable to and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. Government

commitment on universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment by 2010 is

reduced to universal access to blood screening and safe blood !.]