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Health Ministry launches ‘Test and Treat Policy for HIV’

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Nadda states that anybody who is tested and found positive will get ART irrespective of CD count or clinical stage

“As soon as a person is tested and found to be positive, he will be provided with ART irrespective of his CD count or clinical stage.” This was stated by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, JP Nadda at the launch of the ‘Test and Treat Policy for HIV’, at a recently held event in New Delhi. “This will be for all men, women, adolescents and children who have been diagnosed as a HIV + case. This will improve longevity, improve quality of life of those infected and will save them from many opportunistic infections, especially TB,” Nadda further added.

The Health Minister also announced that India will soon develop a National Strategic Plan for HIV for next seven years and these seven years will be crucial for ending AIDS. JP Nadda also felicitated eight scientists and community workers for their exemplary work in the field of HIV/AIDS.

Laying stress on addressing stigma and discrimination towards HIV, Nadda said that ending stigma is of paramount importance to enable persons infected and affected with HIV access health services. “To facilitate reduction in stigma and discrimination, the long pending HIV/AIDS Act has been passed very recently, which is an historical step. Very few countries globally have such a law to protect rights of people infected with HIV,” Nadda elaborated. The Health Minister further informed that the key provisions of HIV/AIDS Bill are prohibition of discrimination, informed consent, non-disclosure of HIV status, anti-retroviral therapy and opportunistic infection management, protection of property of affected children, safe working environment and appointment of ombudsman in every state.

Speaking on the occasion, Nadda said that the Health Ministry has intensified its efforts to find all those that are estimated to be infected with HIV. “Out of 21 lakh estimated with HIV, we know only 14 lakh. To detect remaining we have revised national HIV testing guidelines and are aiming to reach out to people in community and test them where they are, of course with proper counselling and consent,” Nadda mentioned.

“We have nearly 1600 ART and Link ART sites where treatment is provided across the country and recently we crossed the one million people on ART, second country in world to have such large numbers on free lifelong treatment. We have been able to avert 1.5 lakh deaths due to ART and we will be able to avert 4.5 lakh more deaths by expanding provision of ART,” Nadda informed.

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