ARV Drugs for HIV/AIDS Patients All People Living with HIV (PLHIV) accessing public ART Centres and eligible for ART as per the national guidelinesare provided free ART. There are no reports of HIV/AIDS patients being denied access to treatment. However, there have been occasions when patients have been given drugs for 15 days at a time, instead of the norm of 30 days. Under the National AIDS Control Programme, (NACP) Phase-IV, National AIDS Control Organization is committed to provide universal access to comprehensive and equitable care, support and treatment services to all People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). At present there are 524 ART Centres and 1,094 Link ART Centres in the country providing free Antiretroviral treatment, treatment for opportunistic infections, and counseling services to 9.25 lakh PLHIV. The Ministry is aware of World Health Organizations treat all recommendations. These guidelines will be discussed in the Technical Resource Group (TRG) on ART and with other stakeholders before a considered decision is arrived at. Currently all PLHIV with WHO clinical stage III and IV, all positive pregnant women, all HIV/TB co-infected patients, all patients with HIV & hepatitis with severe liver disease and all children less than 5 years are covered under test & treat i.e they are initiated on ART treatment irrespective of CD4 count. Those PLHIV who have WHO clinical stage I and II are initiated on ART, if CD4 is less than 350 according to the national guidelines for ART treatment. Under National AIDS Control Programme, (NACP) Phase-IV, there is currently no plan to achieve universal anti-retroviral treatment in the country. The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), ShriShripadYessoNaik stated this in a written reply in the RajyaSabha here today.
