Clinical trials for HIV commissioned in K'taka

Bangalore, Dec 17: Expressing deep concern over the increasing number of HIV and AIDS patients in Karnataka State Health and family Welfare Principal Secretary Usha Ganesh today said clinical trials on the dreaded disease has been commissioned to discover drug to combat the disease.

Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of the opening of Bilcare Clinical Research Academy here today, Ms Ganesh said the HIV prevalence rate in Southern States, except Kerala was high.

"The prevalence of HIV/AIDS was about one per cent in Karnataka" she said.

She said the state government was spending significant amount to create the awareness on HIV and its prevention. The centre was also providing substantial assistance, Ms Ganesh informed that some clinical trials on the dreaded disease were being carried out in an efforts to discover drug to combat the disease.

"The clinical trials on HIV/AIDS were being done at few institutions in Northern Karnataka where the prevalence was very much high" she said.

Referring to National Rural Health Mission intended to arrest the child and maternal mortal rate, she said that the programme which was launched recently found to be more useful and started yielding results. "The Center also contemplating to launch such programme for the benefit of the people living in urban areas" she informed.

Emphasising for the need for establishing more medical institutions in different faculties, Ms Ganesh informed that Karnataka despite having large number of Medical Institutions, Pharmaceutical research laboratories there is a huge shortage for trained and skilled medical personnel. "There is a huge shortage for Doctors and Nurses and other paramedical staff in Karnataka for extending access to Health Care to the common people" she said.

UNI