New Therapy For All HIV Infected People: Nadda

A new Test and Treat Policy called Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is given for those who are tested HIV positive.

A new Test and Treat Policy for HIV has been announced by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda. An individual when tested positive will be provided with the Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), irrespective of their CD count or clinical stage. //

This will be for all men, women, adolescents and children who have been diagnosed as a HIV positive, he said, adding that this will "improve longevity, improve quality of life of those infected and will save them from many opportunistic infections, especially TB".

Diligent Work Required Against HIV Prevalent Karachi:UN
Pakistan, is among the countries that are exposed to HIV. UN expresses concern to work among them to prevent the disease.

‘A strategy called 90:90:90 adopted by the Health Ministry, helps to identify infected individuals, places them on treatment and ensures that the virus is under control.’

On the occasion, Nadda also announced that India will soon develop a National Strategic Plan for HIV for next seven years and these seven years will be crucial for ending AIDS.

Laying stress on addressing stigma and discrimination towards HIV, he said that this is of paramount importance to enable persons infected and affected with HIV access health services.

"To facilitate reduction in stigma and discrimination, the long pending HIV/AIDS Act has been passed very recently, which is an historical step. Very few countries globally have such a law to protect rights of people infected with HIV," said Nadda.

Initial HIV Care at Home may Increase Use of ART
Offering optional home care initiation after HIV self testing could be linked to a significant increase in the number of adults initiating antiretroviral therapy compared to standard HIV care

According to Nadda, the key provisions of HIV/AIDS Bill are prohibition of discrimination, informed consent, non-disclosure of HIV status, anti-retroviral therapy & opportunistic infection management, protection of property of affected children, safe working environment and appointment of ombudsman in every state.

Stating that all HIV + patients should get treatment and for that the Health Ministry is constantly expanding treatment delivery sites, he said: "Health Ministry have nearly 1, 600 ART and Link ART sites where treatment is provided across the country and recently crossed the 1 million people on ART, second country in world to have such large numbers on free lifelong treatment.

Detail of HIV's Inner Coat may Lead to New Therapies
For the first time, researchers have described that the 4-million-atom structure of the HIV's capsid, or protein shell.

"We have been able to avert 1.5 lakh deaths due to ART and we will be able to avert 4.5 lakh more deaths by expanding provision of ART."

The Health Ministry has adopted 90:90:90 strategy under which it will help to identify 90 percent of those infected, place 90 percent of these on treatment and ensure 90 percent have their virus under control, he said.

It's Official: British Library Opens Showcase for Vast News Archive
The British Library has thrown open the doors to its newsroom on Monday.

"This strategy will offer us an opportunity to work towards our commitment during HLM and WHA on 'ending AIDS by 2030' as a part of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)," Nadda added.

Source-IANS