HC notice on shortage of anti-HIV drugs

AN NGO ALLEGED THAT THERE WAS SHORTAGE OF VARIOUS DRUGS MEANT FOR TREATING PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the responses of the Centre and the Delhi government on a plea claiming severe shortage of drugs for AIDS patients at some of the anti-retroviral treatment centres, including at the AIIMS.

A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra issued notice to the two governments and sought their response on an NGO’s application in which it has alleged that due to the shortage of anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, adult patients were being given paediatric dosages of the medicines.

The NGO, Delhi Network of Positive People, has alleged that there was “severe shortage and stock out” of various drugs meant for the people living with HIV at the anti-retroviral Treatment (ART) Centres at AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, among others.

It also claimed that due to the shortage of the medicines, patients afflicted with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), were being given dosage for only 15 days as against the practice of 30 days.

As a result, patients have to incur travel expenses two or more times in a month to get their required dosage of medicine, the NGO said.

It said that as on April 11, 2017, the ART Centre at AIIMS ran out of essential ARV drugs, despite the NGO informing the Additional Project Director of Delhi State Aids Control Authority on March 27 about the shortage.

However, the same ARV drugs were available in the open market at prices ranging between ₹1,500 and ₹2,000 per pack, which the patients who are below the poverty line cannot afford, the application has said.