Adequate stock of ARV medicines for around 95 pc people living with HIV: Govt tells Lok Sabha

The anti-retroviral (ARV) drug stock status is monitored stringently by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and there is no reported stock-out for such drugs at the state level, the Union Minister of state for health said in a written reply.

New Delhi:There is adequate stock of antiretroviral medicines for around 95 per cent of people living with HIV who are on various first and second-line ARV regimens, Union Minister Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha Friday.

The anti-retroviral (ARV) drug stock status is monitored stringently by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and there is no reported stock-out for such drugs at the state level, the Union Minister of state for health said in a written reply.

She was responding to a question on whether a shortage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs used by HIV/AIDS patients has been reported in various states in 2022. Pawar said India provides free antiretroviral medicines of HIV/AIDS for lifelong treatment of around 14.8 lakh people living with HIV (PLHIV) through 681 anti-retroviral treatment centres under its National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP), which is fully funded by the Centre.

NACO procures ARV medicines for PLHIV centrally following national guidelines. "There is an adequate stock of antiretroviral medicines nationally for around 95 per cent PLHIV in India who are on various first and second-line antiretroviral regimens.

"For treatment of PLHIV, Dolutegravir-based ARV regimens are globally acclaimed as the best and safest ARV with minimal side effects and most of the PLHIV in India are on the single pill Dolutegravir-based regimen for which there is around 3 months' stock nationally," Pawar said.

If there is an occasional anticipated shortage issue at some antiretroviral therapy centres, then proactive steps are taken to ensure an uninterrupted supply of ARV drugs to all PLHIV through immediate relocation from nearby ART centres or other states, she said.

Further, state and district AIDS Control Societies under state governments are authorised to do emergency local procurement of ARV drugs as required and as an interim measure from their budgeted grant-in-aid under NACP.

A sufficient budget is allocated under the head 'ARV for exceptional cases' for all 36 SACS under the Annual Action Plan by NACO for an emergency local procurement of ARV medicines and there is no need for the purchase of ARV medicine by PLHIV or its reimbursement thereof, Pawar added. (PTI)