Nadda launches Viral Load Test PLHIV, terms it historic

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Calling it a historic day, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda on February 26, 2018, launched the ‘‘Viral Load testing for all People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV),”at a function here. The initiative will provide free of cost viral load testing for 12 lakh PLHIV on treatment in the country at least once a year.

Nadda further announced that after ‘Treat All’, Viral Load test is a big step forward in treating and monitoring people living with HIV. “This Viral Load test is of immense importance to monitor the effectiveness of treatment of patients taking life long Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) ,” he said. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare was also present at the launch function, according to a PIB release.

Nadda said that routine viral load testing will optimize the utilization of 1^st line regimens thus preventing drug resistance and ensuring the longevity of people living with HIV. “Viral Load testing will empower medical officers at ART to detect failure of first line treatment early and save PLHIV from developing resistance to drugs. It will also help in strengthening ‘Mission Sampark’ in tracking LFU (Loss to Follow Up) PLHIV,” Nadda added.

The Union Health Minister informed that in 2017, India revised the Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) treatment protocols to initiate all PLHIV on ART “Treat All”. “This ‘Treat All’ initiative was started to ensure that treatment is started early and the virus transmission is curtailed both at the individual and the community level. Now about 12 lakh PLHIV are availing the benefit of free treatment from more than 530 ART centres,” Nadda stated.

Laying stress on addressing stigma & discrimination towards HIV, Nadda said that ending stigma 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, which is an historical step. Very few countries globally have such a law to protect rights of people infected with HIV,” Nadda elaborated. The Health Minister informed that 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.