E-Paper
No shortage of antiretroviral drugs: Centre amid protests by a group of HIV patients
Amid protests by a group of HIV patients in the national Capital alleging shortage of crucial life-saving drugs recommended to control the infection from progressing, officials from the Union health ministry on Tuesday said there was no shortage of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in India
Amid protests by a group of HIV patients in the national Capital alleging shortage of crucial life-saving drugs recommended to control the infection from progressing, officials from the Union health ministry on Tuesday said there was no shortage of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in India.
An HIV patient, who participated in the Tuesday’s protest outside the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) office, claimed that the shortage of essential drugs was impacting treatments. “We have written letters to the authorities informing them of the non-availability but have not received a response,” the patient said.
Two protesters alleged the drugs have not available in many centres in Delhi-NCR for at least four-five months.
“These are crucial life-saving drugs that are needed for HIV patients and are not available for many months. Authorities have not even bothered to respond to our concerns let alone provide a remedy,” said another protester.
HT is withholding their identity.
However, officials from the health ministry said there is adequate stock nationally for around 95% HIV patients in the country, who are on first- and second-line ARV (antiretroviral) regimens like tablet TLD (Tenofovir+ Lamivudine+ Dolutegravir) and other ARV regimens.
“The mainstay of treatment for more than 85% PLHIV is Tablet TLD [a fixed-dose-combination of three anti-retroviral drugs, namely, Tenofovir (300mg) +Lamivudine(300mg) + Dolutegravir(50mg)], for which there is sufficient stock nationally to last more than three months,” an official from the ministry said, requesting anonymity. “Tablet Dolutegravir (DTG)-50mg is required for around 50,000 persons living with HIV (PLHIV) who are either on Alternate-first, second or third-line regimens or those with TB (tuberculosis) co-infection.”
There is no reported stock out for any ARV drugs at the state level, the official clarified. “The fresh supply orders for procurement of the next lot of several drugs are already placed. Individual ART (antiretroviral therapy) centres may have this issue at times, but the medicines are immediately relocated from nearby centres,” the official added.
Requests have been placed to supply the first lot of the drugs at the earliest to ensure the medicines are delivered before the present stock runs out, the official further said.
The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), a central government agency, initiated discussions with HIV patients, who have been protesting outside the agency’s office since the last few days.
“After persuasion by NACO and with active cooperation of national networks of persons living with HIV, four representatives of the protesters had a round of discussion with senior officers of NACO today (Tuesday),” another official said.
NACO representatives said protesters were also informed about the position regarding drug availability during the discussions.
“They were told to jointly work with state AIDS control societies and NACO for the availability of drugs at those few ART centres running short on supplies temporarily,” one of the representatives said.
India is one of the very few countries that provide free antiretroviral medicines for lifelong treatment of HIV patients, under its National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), which is fully funded by the government. NACO centrally procures ARV medicines for PLHIV as per national guidelines.
