Centre cannot take care of 52 lakh Hiv+ patients in the country

New Delhi, Dec 5 (UNI) The Union government has told the Supreme Court that out of 52 lakh HIV+ patients in the country only about 5.2 lakhs are suffering from AIDS and the government is trying to achieve the target of providing free Antiretroviral Therapy(ART) to 100,000 AIDS patients.

At present about 2600 patients are receiving free ART treatment in state supported centres and organisations like ESIC,Railways, and Defence forces.

The government hopes to achieve the target of one lakh patients by the year 2007.

According to the government even in advanced countries 80 per cent coverage is considered optimal and assuming that 20 per cent will be getting treatment from private hospitals only about 3 lakh patients would need free ART treatment from the government. First line drugs cost Rs. 8000 per year but the second line drugs which cost about Rs. 80000 per patient are not being provided by the government.

The counter affidavit has been filed by the Union government in response to the PILs filed by Sahara House and others.

UNI AKS/SC RP RS2016