The Hindu : National : Fresh survey of AIDS victims mooted

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Sunday, Dec 11, 2005

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National

Fresh survey of AIDS victims mooted

Special Correspondent

Charges of inadequacies in sentinel method

NEW DELHI: The Parliamentary Accounts Committee has suggested a fresh survey of HIV/AIDS infected people in the country to arrive at a correct figure, following allegations of inadequacies in the sentinel surveillance method adopted by the Government.

This will also help the Government realise the challenge in conceiving a realistic and effective programme and fixing targets for different components, the committee said in its report on the National AIDS Control Programme, presented in Parliament.

According to the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), there are 5.1 million HIV-infected people, but the figure has been contested by some international agencies and non-governmental organisations.

It has pointed out that a thorough understanding of HIV/AIDS requires a radical change in attitude and belief, as well as the emotional components concerning the virus and the syndrome, and the behaviour that place people at the risk of contracting the virus.

Slow implementation

The committee has said the National AIDS Control Programme had achieved limited success, because it failed to generate sufficient awareness among the masses. Besides, the implementation of its various components was slow, with the targets groups in many States remaining unidentified because the mapping exercise was not completed.

It has found the scheme of social marketing of condoms lacking, since NACO could not procure and distribute the targeted number of condoms. The programme could not set up the targeted number of Sexually Transmitted Diseases clinics and modernise blood banks and voluntary counselling and testing centres in every district.

The report said NACO could utilise only 75 per cent of Rs. 657.55 crore allotted for Phase I. And in Phase II, as against the allocation of Rs.1,155.10 crore from the Centre and the World Bank, it spent only 46 per cent in the first four years.

Non-formal mode

The committee has asked NACO to evolve a programme to educate youth in HIV/AIDS through the non-formal mode. For this, it should involve the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and respective States at all levels.

As for drug prices, the committee has said that since the prices of Anti-Retroviral Therapy drugs were exorbitant and beyond the reach of common man, there was an urgent need to develop an alternative cost-effective drug through Indian systems of medicine. The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry should sponsor a special research and development project, it said.

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