HIV+ patients denied free treatment and drugs, alleges PIL

The Delhi high court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and the Delhi government on a petition filed in public interest alleging that poor HIV patients have been denied right to free treatment as well as accessibility to and availability of essential medicines and tests.

A bench of chief justice G Rohini and justice Jayant Nath observed that the matter “required consideration” and directed the two governments to file their replies to the plea before the next date of hearing on March 2.

The petition has been filed by a social activist who has alleged the Centre had “failed to provide a package of care, support and treatment services under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)” to people afflicted with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency

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syndrome (AIDS).

The petitioner, Rekha Devi, has alleged that centres to provide antiretroviral treatment (ART) were understaffed and did not have sufficient stock of antiretrovirals (ARVs), as patients were being given medicines for only 15 days at a time and asked to wait hours before the doctor see them at these centres.

The plea also sought directions to the two governments and other authorities to fill up vacant posts of doctors and staff at ART centres and ensure a three-month buffer stock of ARVs at these centres at all times.