EDEN IAS

Menu
HIV MEDICINE SHORTAGE

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS | PROTESTS OVER HIV MEDICINE SHORTAGE | 27TH AUGUST | INDIAN EXPRESS

/ July, 2022, UPSC Daily Current Affairs

SYLLABUS SECTION: GS III (HEALTH ISSUES)

WHY IN NEWS?

Recently, people living with HIV have been protesting outside because of shortage of some medicine since March this year.

REASONS FOR THE PROTESTS:

  • There has been a shortage of some medicines since March this year, owing to tenders by the Centre failing.
  • Several states have been experiencing shortage of one HIV medicine or the other due to procurement problems by NACO.
  • There is shortage of nevirapine syrup and dolutegravir that is being given as ART.

WHY IS THE SHORTAGE A CONCERN?

  • While there is no cure for HIV infection,
  • ART aims to reduce the re plication of HIV and bring the viral load to undetectable levels.
  • There has been a decline in mortality and illness resulting from HIV infection,
  • Due to better availability of affordable and effective ART.
  • Continued suppression of the virus with the use of ART over time leads to reduction in the progression of HIV,
  • The frequency of opportunistic infections, and increases lifespan and quality of life.
  • If medicines are skip, there is a possibility of the viral replication increasing and taking backwards the progress made in treatment.
AIDS CONTROL PROGRAMMES:
  • After the detection of the first case in India in 1986, the Government of India established a National AIDS Control Program (NACP) which has now become the Department of AIDS under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) was established in 1992 as a division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  • It provides leadership to HIV/AIDS control programs in India through 35 Prevention and Control Societies.
  • NACO is the nodal organization for the formulation of policy and implementation of programs for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in India
  • There are numerous Non‐Governmental and Community Based Organizations (NGOs & CBOs) working on HIV/AIDS issues in India at the local, state, and national levels.
  • India receives technical assistance and funding from a variety of UN partners and bilateral donors.

Read more: UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS

SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS