News Section | Virology
Indian state launches scheme for HIV infected children
Hyderabad, April 17 : Indian state, Andhra Pradesh government Tuesday launched a scheme for comprehensive care and moral support to an estimated 20,000 children either infected with human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) or with full blown AIDS.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy launched the ‘Balasahyoga’ scheme with a corpus of $14 million given jointly by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) of the UK and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
The National AIDS Control Organisation and the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) will monitor the implementation.
The project, aimed at improving the quality of life of children infected with HIV or having full blown AIDS and their families, will be implemented through a consortium of three partners, including the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative and CARE, led by the Family Health International in eleven districts.
In the remaining 12 districts, the programme, led by a global fund consortium will be implemented by India HIV/AIDS Alliance.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said under the project coverage of comprehensive care, moral support and treatment services would be expanded.
He called for a debate on making HIV test compulsory before marriage and claimed that the incidence of HIV/AIDS had come down in 15 districts.
APSACS project director G. Ashok Kumar said that over a million people got tested during the ‘Be Bold’ campaign this year to know their HIV status. Last year half a million people had undergone the test.
He claimed that there was a remarkable increase in the usage of condoms with more than 35 million pieces distributed in the state. Moreover, 10,000 AIDS patients were accessing ART (anti-retroviral therapy) drugs this year against 3,6000 last year.
He said that a new campaign “0/7″ had been started with an objective of achieving zero HIV infections among newborn through vertical transmission.(IANS)
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