The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Minister calls for collective effort to check HIV/AIDS

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Minister calls for collective effort to check HIV/AIDS

Staff Reporter

Purandeswari launches health insurance scheme for PLHIV

It’s necessary to have an open debate on gay rights, Minister says
Girisuraksha scheme for tribal areas to be introduced soon

VISAKHAPATNAM: Incidence of HIV/AIDS can be reduced by collective effort and co-operation from all quarters, Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development D. Purandeswari has said.

Speaking at the launch of first health insurance of PLHIV here on Friday, she said if Guntur which had recorded a rate of 3.35 per cent in 2003 could reduce it to 1.75 per cent other districts also could do it. If people shy away from talking about AIDS, it’s difficult to contain it, she said. Besides the number of people using intravenous drugs was going up. Also to contain HIV, it’s necessary to have an open debate about gay rights, particularly in the light of Supreme Court judgment on Article 377.

On the government’s efforts to help those suffering from HIV/AIDS, she said in spite of the high cost the government was spending a lot of money on giving ART medicines. Population Services International’s Program Director (Project Connect) Atul Kapoor said the public-private partnership that brought together several agencies could serve to encourage other public/private insurance companies to examine insurance to PLHIV.

Comprehensive plan

State AIDS Control Society Project Director R.V. Chandravadan said in the nine coastal districts the number of HIV/AIDS persons was more than the State average of one per cent.

The State Government was spending Rs.85 crores this year on a comprehensive plan and next year it would go up to Rs.100 crores. The rise in the number of migrant labour and commercial sex workers in urban areas had led to more persons being infected. In Visakhapatnam it had gone up from .35 per cent in 2007 to .75 per cent in 2008. He also underlined the need to recognise gay sex (sexual minority groups) stating it was leading to incidence of more HIV. Soon Girisuraksha, a scheme for tribal areas, would be introduced.

Municipal Commissioner B. Sreedhar said the Visakha AIDS Control Society was launched in 2006 and with its activities won the appreciation of USAID. He appealed to USAID to associate itself with public health issues in the city. The 200 insured persons were drawn from organisations like Green Vision, FXB, World Vision and Society of Visakha Network of Positive Members.

Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao said the corporation was providing a pension of Rs.200 to the HIV/AIDS people and employment, by manning of public telephone booths.

PSI South Regional Director Shankar Narayanan spoke.

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