THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE( SMT. PANABAKA LAKSHMI)
(a) Government had announced a plan for introduction of antiretroviral therapy. Accordingly from 1st April 2004 ART was started in 8 government medical colleges in the first phase and by the end of financial year 2004-05, 25 ART centre as per target. The target of 1,00,000 patients was for December 2007 and not for 2005.
(b) The target for the year 2004-05 was to start ART at 25 hospitals and the same has been achieved. Till now, 10,255 patients are put on ART at 25 hospitals. Additional about 9000 patients are taking ART from other government centres like Defence, Railways, ESIC etc.
(c) to (e) News item in the Times of India dated 1st July,2005 on WAIT for AIDS THERAPY has been published indicating WHO-UNAIDS Report. The figure of 7.35 lakh AIDS cases waiting for ART Therapy is not correct. The ART therapy available only in 6 states is also not correct. ART therapy is currently available in 13 States through 25 centers. There are a total of 1,03,857 AIDS cases reported by the States
(f) The following remedial measures have been taken:
- GFATM Round four ART project has been approved by the Govt. for Implementation of the ART services to 1,80,000 patients through 188 centers in 6 high prevalence States and Delhi in a phased manner over a period of next 5 years.
- ART services are being extended in other states as well. Besides existing 25 ART centers, additional 14 centers have been sanctioned for ART and it is planned to extend ART services through a total of 100 centers by the end of current year
- Publicity is being carried out about availability of free ART services
- Training of doctors, nurses and other categories of staff is being conducted so that all the centers implement ART effectively
-Laboratory facilities are being strengthened by providing facility of CD4 testing
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