Page 2 - Hiv/aids

HIV patient cannot be denied employment or promotion: Allahabad HC

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has held that a person suffering from HIV, who is otherwise fit, cannot be denied employment or promotion. The bench comprising Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Om Prakash Shukla passed the order on a plea by a CRPF constable challenging a single-judge bench's May 24 order, which rejected his appeal against the order issued by the CRPF that denied him promotion on the ground that he was tested HIV positive. A person's HIV status cannot be a ground for denial of promotion in employment as it would be discriminatory and would violate the principles laid down in Articles 14 (right to equality), 16 (right to non-discrimination in state employment) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution of India, observed the two-judge bench in its order passed on July 6. Setting aside the single-judge bench order which had expressed favour with the CRPF that the appellant was not entitled to the promotion after having been tested HIV positive, the two-judge

Nagaland gets first HIV-1 viral load lab in Naga Hospital Authority Kohima

Nagaland, which has more than 12,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) on Monday got its first HIV-1 viral load laboratory. The laboratory set up in Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) will help the patients undergo viral load testing, which is required at least once a year for PLHIV. Commissioner and Secretary for Health and Family Welfare Department, Y Kikheto Sema, said that India, being a signatory of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.3, is committed to ending AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. "Nagaland has approximately 12,290 PLHIV who are on treatment and many more are unreached and untested for HIV. The state has the second-highest HIV positive cases in the country. "PLHIV have to mandatorily undergo viral load testing at least once a year. If the viral load does not come down, it indicates that the person is not responding to the drug and therefore will need another line of treatment. The laboratory will help doctors provide correct treatment

World AIDS Vaccine Day 2023: Date, history, significance and more

World AIDS Vaccine Day 2023 is observed every year on May 18 to spread awareness and knowledge about AIDS and HIV diseases and its vaccine.

Mizoram Health Minister lays foundation stone for HIV/AIDS resource centre

Health Minister R Lalthangliana on Friday laid the foundation stone for the State Resource Centre for HIV/AIDS at Mizoram New Capital Complex in Aizawl. The Rs 4 crore project is funded under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. "Although the project is named State Resource Centre for HIV/AIDS, it will be the office of the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS)," the minister said. He said that the society has been without a permanent office for years. The event was attended by MSACS Steering Committee chairman and MLA ZR Thiamsanga, and health secretary Esther Lal Ruatkimi. Mizoram now has the dubious distinction of being the highest HIV/AIDS prevalent state in the country. According to MSACS, 27,241 people have been diagnosed with AIDS since October 1990 when the first HIV-positive case was reported in the state. So far, 3,506 people have died due to the deadly disease in the state.

Around 1.5 mn people infected with HIV being given ARV medicines: Centre

The government is providing free lifelong antiretroviral medicines for people living with HIV under its National AIDS Control Programme, Union Minister of State for Health Bharti Pravin Pawar said

Around 1.5 mn people infected with HIV being given ARV medicines: Centre

The government is providing free lifelong antiretroviral medicines for people living with HIV under its National AIDS Control Programme, Union Minister of State for Health Bharti Pravin Pawar said

HIV cases in Assam surge with 2,269 more testing positive since April

Since April, 2,269 people have tested positive for HIV in Assam, which is much higher than the previous two years, according to official data. A total of 5,57,747 samples were tested from April to October this year. Of that, 2,269 samples turned out to be positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), according to the Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS). Among these patients were 131 pregnant women, it said. In 2021-22, a total of 2,366 HIV cases were detected in the state, while it was just 1,288 in 2020-21. ASACS Assistant Director Rajib Sarma said Assam has 25,073 people living with HIV (PLHIV) as per NACO HIV Estimation Report 2021. "Out of this, 45 per cent of PLHIVs are female. Children living with HIV is 3 per cent," he added. The total number of people alive by taking Anti-Retroviral therapy (ART) is 10,765 in the state. "The HIV prevalence rate in India is 0.21 per cent and the same rate in Assam is 0.09 per cent," Sarma said. As far as the HIV prevalence in the

World AIDS Day: MoS Health calls for increasing social inclusivity

Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar called for increasing social inclusivity and using a multi-sectoral approach to tackle HIV, on the occasion of World AIDS Day

Goal to end AIDS by 2030 'badly off track', says UNGA President Korosi

There is a science-based path to ending AIDS, but regrettably, it is not available to all, he said

SC issues notice to Centre on plea alleging shortage of anti-HIV drugs

The Supreme Court has sought response from the Centre and others on a plea alleging shortage of antiretroviral drugs for treating HIV patients in the country. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli issued notice to the Ministry of Health, National AIDS Control Organisation and others on a plea filed by an NGO. "The petitioners have submitted that there are shortages in the procurement of ART drugs in the country and the tender for 2021-22, which was due in August 2021, was issued in December 2021 and eventually failed. Issue notice, returnable in two weeks," the bench said. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is treatment of people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using anti-HIV drugs. The top court was hearing a plea filed by NGO Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS alleging shortage of antiretroviral drugs in the country. The plea contended that non-availability of drugs at the Anti Retro Viral Therapy Centres of the National AIDS Control Organisat

South Africa to refocus on HIV, TB after neglect during Covid pandemic

South Africa said it will focus its attention now on catching up on the backlog in identifying HIV and TB cases that were out on the backburner during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Luc Montagnier, who identified virus behind AIDS, dies at 89

French researcher Luc Montagnier, who won a Nobel Prize in 2008 for discovering the HIV virus and more recently spread false claims about the coronavirus, has died at age 89, according to officials

More than 1.2 mn people died from drug-resistant infections in 2019: Study

Drug-resistant bacteria and other microbes are rising due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, say health officials.

Best of BS Opinion: Reform in agriculture, public investment push and more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for Friday

Joe Biden unveils new national HIV/AIDS strategy on World AIDS Day

US President Joe Biden has initiated a new HIV/AIDS strategy aimed at ending the epidemic by 2030, local news reported on Wednesday (local time).

Kerala determined to prevent new HIV infections by 2025: CM Vijayan

Kerala is determined to prevent new HIV infections in the state by 2025 and due to the significant strides it has made in the health sector it can achieve this goal much earlier, Vijayan said

People living with HIV/AIDS may be less susceptible to Covid: AIIMS study

The average seropositivity in Delhi was 25.7 per cent at the time when the samples from persons with HIV/AIDS were collected between September and November 2020.

Zydus Cadila receives tentative nod from USFDA to market two HIV drugs

The drug will be manufactured at the group's formulation manufacturing facility at the SEZ Ahmedabad

Covid-19 isn't relatively harmless for younger adults as thought earlier

New research shows that July may have been the deadliest month for young adults in modern American history

Decades of battle against AIDS holds crucial lessons in fight against Covid

These diseases take incredible expertise, collaboration and dedication from all levels of society to track, understand, treat and prevent