Date:28/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/28/stories/2007112855281500.htm

National

Centre directed to spell out scheme for treating HIV patients

Legal Correspondent

Government says it is alive to the problem

AIDS had ceased to be a dreadful fatal disease: petitioners
By 2011, about 3 lakh patients would be given ART: government

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Union Health Ministry to spell out its scheme to provide Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) to HIV positive patients in government hospitals and for their proper rehabilitation.

A three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice J.M. Panchal recorded the submissions of Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam, appearing for the Centre that the Health Ministry would soon convene a meeting with the petitioners — the Voluntary Health Association of Punjab and others — and come out with a comprehensive scheme to provide proper treatment and medical care to HIV positive patients.

The Bench was hearing a batch of cases seeking a direction to the Centre and the States to provide AIDS victims the right to treatment under the public health system.

The ASG said that the government was alive to the problems and would soon take steps for providing treatment to such patients in government hospitals.

The petitioners contended that in the last few years, with the development of a new class of drugs called Anti-Retro Viral drugs, AIDS had ceased to be a dreadful fatal disease.

They said that treatment by these life-saving drugs was not being included by the Indian government as part of the public health system, which catered to the needs of poor people.

In response to the court direction, the Centre filed a status report stating that with effect from April 1, 2004 free ART treatment was being provided to HIV positive patients. It said that by 2011, about three lakh patients would be given ART treatment.

Not satisfied with the response, counsel for the petitioners said that by the time the target of three lakhs was reached, most of the HIV patients would have died as only by giving ART treatment could their lives be prolonged. They also wanted the Centre to provide adequate equipment and facilities for AIDS treatment.