TORONTO : The Union Health Ministry would place draft legislation on prevention of discrimination against HIV/AIDS victims before the Cabinet for approval.

Talking to reporters here on Monday on the sidelines of the XVI International AIDS Conference, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said, "it took a little time, because we wanted some amendments to the draft and elaborate discussions with the stakeholders. Hopefully, the Bill will be tabled in Parliament in the winter session."

On the steps taken to check the spread of HIV infection in the country, he said his Ministry was in touch with the Home Ministry on the issue of "needle exchange programme" for drug users.

A task force, under the chairmanship of a Special Secretary (Home Ministry), would look into the issue.

Policy decision

"We have to take a policy decision on the matter and it is now being deliberated upon," he said.

Under the "`needle exchange programme,'' the Government supplied free disposable needles to drug-users. The northeastern States have been supporting the idea.

Admitting that HIV/AIDS was a serious issue in the paramilitary forces, Dr. Ramadoss said discussions were on with the Home Ministry for intervention measures.

The problem was more serious in the Border Security Force and Assam Rifles.

The Health Ministry had taken up with the Home Ministry the proposal of amending Section 377 of the IPC to legalise men having sex with men to enable the Government to make preventive interventions within this group to check the spread of the infection.

The Government would invest close to $2.5 billion in the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP-III) to be implemented in 2007 for the next five years. The funds would come from international donors and private sector.On high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Ramadoss said the Government had decided to upscale the sentinel sites in North India to get the accurate figures.

Among the list of highly vulnerable States were Orissa, Gujarat and Goa.On latest research on anti-AIDS drugs, he said two research works on microbicieds were on in India in collaboration with U.K.-based companies. Trial was also on for two anti-AIDS vaccines.

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