Bill to prevent discrimination against AIDS patients finalised

New Delhi, June 29 (UNI) The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has sent a team to investigate the alleged denial of medical treatment to an HIV postive woman in Meerut and threatened to take serious action if the charges were found to be correct.

NACO Director General Sujatha Rao told reporters here that a two-member team was sent to Meerut to investigate the reported incident in which the doctors and staff of a hospital allegedly refused to attend to the delivery of the women and instead asked her husband to deliver the child.

Ms Rao said the initial inquiries have shown that one of the intern helped in the delivery. However, if the charges of denial of medical treatment were found to be correct after investigation, serious action would be taken against the guilty people.

Meanwhile, to check the widespread stigma and discrimination faced by the HIV/AIDS patients, the Government had finalised draft of a legislation which would be brought before the Union Cabinet soon, she informed. The third and final draft of the legislation have been prepared and sent to the Law Ministry for vetting.

She said the draft is likely to be cleared in a week's time following which it be would be presented before the Union Cabinet for its approval. A cabinet note in this regard had already been prepared.

The bill would be presented before Parliament in the Monsoon session or winter session, she said.

Regarding the delay in finalising the bill whose preparation started in 2004, she said that it took time as a number of contentious issues were involved. Their resolution involved lengthy discussion with various stakeholders, she informed.

UNI