Mona Balani, a noted HIV activist who has been living with the virus since past 22 years and has been taking antiretroviral medicines since past 14 years now, also spoke to CNS. She said: "Not just antiretroviral medicines are out of stock, but even HIV testing kit or reagent for CD4 test, are out of stock in some places."
On one hand government is promising to deliver on 95:95:95 goals (95% of people living with HIV should know their status (so they need to get tested), 95% of these are receiving antiretroviral medicines, and 95% of these are virally suppressed.
Mona Balani rightly said: "If testing kit is out of stock then how will we get pregnant women tested on time? Antiretroviral prophylaxis is not available at times for preventing parent to child transmission of HIV. How will we eliminate parent to child transmission of HIV then? By failing to prevent stockout, and failing to ensure medicines and supplies are within reach everywhere, we are instead facilitating transmission of infection." How will we end AIDS in next 101 months (by 2030)?
Vijay Singh, who is part of Love Life Society, said that "Government says that we should take medicines without any interruption, as adherence to antiretroviral medicines is so important. But failure to prevent frequent stockouts is making it very difficult for people to adhere."
Health is a human right
"We are demanding what is rightfully due to us, as a matter of human right. It is our constitutional right to take care of our health, and protect our health and wellbeing. People must be able to get their HIV medicines on time, and there must be no stockout - this is the assurance we need from government of India," added Mona Balani, who is also a part of National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI Plus).
Sahil is living with HIV since he was 13 years old. He is the President of Om Prakash Network of People living with HIV (OPNP Plus) now, and echoed Mona's statement that "I am joining the sit-in because getting lifesaving medicines is a matter of human right."
Sadhana Jadon of NCPI Plus is living with HIV since 2003. She pointed out that "Not just we but even children are not able to take medicines without interruption due to these stockouts. It is a matter of our life and our children's life too to ensure uninterrupted drug supply becomes a reality. Parents of these children often leave their work or suffer loss of wages and go to hospitals repeatedly to collect medicines for their children. How many times will they have to make these hospital-rounds to get the medicines? Why cannot they get longer duration supplies?"
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