International Conference on Insurance and HIV/AIDS:

[Guest guest]

International Conference on Mainstreaming HIV and AIDS:

Role of Insurance Sector in India

A two day international conference on Mainstreaming HIV and AIDS: Role of

Insurance sector in India began in New Delhi today. The Conference has been

organised with an objective to bring HIV within the ambit of health insurance,

as currently it is excluded from most of the health insurance schemes in India.

Inaugurating the Conference, Dr. Syeda Hameed, Member Planning Commission said,

" People living with HIV bear a double burden. On one hand, their health needs

increase the financial costs on the other hand, they suffer from stigma and

discrimination, both at home and within the community. Nothing is outside the

purview of inclusion.

There is a need to come for a viable insurance model that takes care of the

health of HIV Positive people. "

Shri Sayan Chatterjee, Secretary, Department of AIDS Control & Director General,

National AIDS Control Organisation pointed out , " Despite low HIV prevalence,

India has an estimated 23.9 lakh people living with HIV and reaching out to all

of them with treatment, care and support services is a huge task.

The Government is spending about Rs. 330 crores annually on providing treatment,

care and support services for people living with HIV. The Government efforts

need to be supplemented by other sectors. "

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Kaushik Basu, Chief Economic Adviser,

Government of India said, " There needs to be a regulatory mechanism that can

take care of the needs of the HIV Positive people.

Currently the insurance sector indulges in moral adverse selection, but the

critical mantra is that we need to do hard calculations and also put the

emotional needs making insurance inclusive. The Government and private insurance

companies should come together in this effort. "

Shri J. Hari Narayan, Chairman Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority

said , " In principal, no aspect of human life cannot be insured so can HIV. The

concern is what aspect of HIV are we insuring. "

Ms. Soto, Minister Counsellor for USAID said that it was encouraging that

" India had a dynamic health insurance market, a low HIV prevalence rate, and

developed national and state sponsored health insurance schemes for the poor and

it was possible to improve lives and livelihoods of people and families living

with HIV by making them included in the health schemes. "

Outlining NACO's mandate, Joint Secretary, NACO, Ms. Aradhana Johri said that

the one of the ways to mainstream HIV is, " to remove it from the list of current

exclusion in health insurance. With the advances in clinical management and

improved access to treatment, there has been a considerable reduction in the

mortality rates.

HIV is now manageable and People Living with HIV can lead a normal and

productive life. There is, therefore a need for a special package for PLHIV

specially vulnerable sections. "

The two day Conference has been organised by the National AIDS Control

Organisation (NACO) in collaboration with the USAID. During the conference,

delegates from India and other countries, including the United States, South

Africa and France will deliberate on global best practices where HIV in covered

under innovative health insurance schemes as well as draw from various

innovative health insurance schemes that have been operational at the state and

national level.

The conference is expected to come up with a roadmap for mainstreaming HIV and

AIDS in insurance sector in India.

NACO is currently implementing the third phase of the National AIDS Control

Programme, NACP- III (2007-2012).With the expansion of HIV/AIDS services for

prevention, treatment, care and support, the estimated number of new HIV

infection in India has declined by more than 50 percent over the past decade.

However India has the third largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the

world.

The prevalence rate is 0.31 percent, with an estimated 23.9 lakh people living

with HIV/AIDS. 89 percent of all HIV infection is in the 15-49 age group,

affecting the most productive segment of the society impacting their

productivity and longevity.

With the advancement in HIV management with provision of free Anti retroviral

Therapy by the Government, People Living with HIV (PLHIV) now lead a prolonged

and productive life. Currently, about 3.8 lakh PLHIV are availing free ART from

292 ART centers across the country.

The government has also introduced free second line ART being availed by about

1800 people through 10 centers of excellence.

Press Information Bureau, Government of India

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 03-February-2011 18:36 IST

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=69569