Jan 30 2015 : The Times of India (Delhi)
HIV fears rise over dip in condom supplies
Sushmi Dey
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New Delhi:
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At least six states are facing a severe shortage of condoms distributed under the government's AIDS control programme, giving rise to a public health concern over the risk of HIV infections spreading.These shortages have been continuing for around eight months in states such as Haryana, Uttarakhand and MP , which have relatively high HIV prevalence. UP , Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan also face a supply crisis.“While government manufacturer HLL Lifecare is un able to keep up with demand, negotiations with private players is a long-drawn process,“ a source said. Target intervention groups, which distrib ute condoms as part of public health programmes, have written to the State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (SACS) and other bodies, urgently seeking supplies, sources said.
The matter was recently raised with the Union health ministry , following which the health secretary met senior officials from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) on Thursday .
“The issue has been brought to my notice. We have a meeting again tomorrow where we will analyse the situation and take measures to address the problem,“ health secretary Lov Verma told TOI.
Sources said the shortage Source: NACO factsheet, 2013-14 is primarily caused by bureaucratic delays. “Several target invention groups working in these states have written to us seeking supplies of condoms as there are shortages. We have reported the matter to the government in our recent meeting,“ said Nochiketa Mohanty, country program man ager at AIDS Healthcare Foundation India. AHF, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization, provides anti-retroviral medicines and advocacy in 36 countries.
The crisis is not limited to condoms. There is also a shortage of HIV testing kits as well as anti-retroviral medicines, mainly pediatric drugs, across the country , health activists working with HIV patients informed.
Medecins Sans Frontieres, another leading international group working with HIVAIDS patients, confirmed the shortages of condoms as well as anti-retroviral drugs and testing kits across many states.
The UN estimates that India currently has the third largest population of HIV infected people in the world.
The matter was recently raised with the Union health ministry , following which the health secretary met senior officials from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) on Thursday .
“The issue has been brought to my notice. We have a meeting again tomorrow where we will analyse the situation and take measures to address the problem,“ health secretary Lov Verma told TOI.
Sources said the shortage Source: NACO factsheet, 2013-14 is primarily caused by bureaucratic delays. “Several target invention groups working in these states have written to us seeking supplies of condoms as there are shortages. We have reported the matter to the government in our recent meeting,“ said Nochiketa Mohanty, country program man ager at AIDS Healthcare Foundation India. AHF, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization, provides anti-retroviral medicines and advocacy in 36 countries.
The crisis is not limited to condoms. There is also a shortage of HIV testing kits as well as anti-retroviral medicines, mainly pediatric drugs, across the country , health activists working with HIV patients informed.
Medecins Sans Frontieres, another leading international group working with HIVAIDS patients, confirmed the shortages of condoms as well as anti-retroviral drugs and testing kits across many states.
The UN estimates that India currently has the third largest population of HIV infected people in the world.
