State-Run Clinics in India Providing Antiretrovirals to Fewer Than 10% of HIV-Positive People
The Indian government's National AIDS Control Organization provides no-cost antiretroviral drugs to fewer than 10% of people living with HIV/AIDS in the country, NACO said in testimony to India's Supreme Court on Friday, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports. According to U.N. figures, 5.7 million HIV-positive people live in India. NACO on Friday told the country's Supreme Court that government-run health centers provide 46,000 HIV-positive people in the country with antiretroviral drugs. The testimony followed a complaint filed by several HIV/AIDS advocacy groups stating that the country is making little headway in fighting the disease. According to the AP/Herald Tribune, India failed to reach its goal of providing 100,000 HIV-positive people with antiretroviral therapy by the end of 2005. India by 2011 pledged to provide no-cost treatment to 300,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the country (AP/International Herald Tribune, 12/8).
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