NACO initiates discussions after protests against shortage of antiretroviral drugs

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): The National Aids Control Organization (NACO) initiated a round of discussions after a group of HIV patients protested outside its office in Delhi against the shortage of antiretroviral drugs during the past few months, sources told ANI.
"After persuasion by NACO and with active cooperation of national networks of persons living with HIV (PLHIV), four representatives of the protestors had a round of discussion with senior officers of NACO today afternoon," sources said.
Protesters were informed about the position regarding drug availability during the discussions.
"They were informed about the position regarding drugs availability and they were told to jointly work with state AIDS control societies and NACO for the availability of drugs at those few centres which were running short on supplies, temporarily," sources said further.
This has been the practice in NACO from the very beginning and all stakeholders work together.
Meanwhile, Harishankar, who was sitting outside the centre said, "We are sitting outside the National AIDS Control Organisation since July 21. We haven't been getting medicines for months. These are those antiretroviral medicines that we used to get earlier at ART centres."
"We have done many meetings with NACO but nothing concrete has been done. There are around 50,000 patients struggling for these medicines," he said.
Sources said that ART centres may have this issue but the medicines are relocated from nearby centres.
"There is no reported stock out for any ARV drugs at the State level and the fresh supply orders for procurement of the next lot of several drugs are already placed. Individual Art Centres may have this issue at times but the medicines are immediately relocated from nearby Centres," sources said.
"Central Medical Services Society (CMSS) has been requested to supply the first lot of the drugs at the earliest. Before the present stock runs out, the fresh lot of drugs would have been received," sources added.
India is one of the very few countries that provide free Anti-retroviral medicines for lifelong treatment of more than 14.5 lakh PLHIV through 680 ART centres under its National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), which is fully funded by the Government of India.
National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) centrally procures ARV medicines for PLHIV as per national guidelines.
"There is adequate stock nationally for around 95% PLHIV in the country who are on 1st & 2nd line ARV regimens like Tablet TLD (Tenofovir+ Lamivudine+ Dolutegravir) and other ARV regimens," sources said. (ANI)