HIV/AIDS Bill Sought by Activists in Winter Session

Civil society activists in India have demanded that the HIV/AIDS bill be tabled during the winter session of parliament.

The bill aims to protect the rights of people infected and affected by HIV and was finalised by the union health ministry in 2006.

Lab Test for AIDS/HIV
Describes how screening for HIV is performed in a laboratory.

It also provides for free and complete HIV-related treatment for all who need it.

"HIV-positive people are often denied employment and refused treatment. This bill is very important as it provides for protection of HIV-positive people from stigma and discrimination in both the public and private sectors," Hari Shankar of the Delhi Network of Positive People said at a press conference here.

"The delay in bringing the bill to parliament is totally unacceptable. This government has not shown the political will to take the bill forward," Anand Grover of Lawyers' Collective said.

Screening for HIV/AIDS Infection
Efficient screening and better drugs help reduce the prevalence of HIV infection. A number of tests like ELIZA & Western Blot are used for screening HIV.

"The bill should have been tabled long back. Now we demand that the government table this bill in the Rajya Sabha in the coming winter session," he said.

Anjali Gopalan of NAZ Foundation said: "The government has spent more than half a decade deliberating over the bill. It is imperative that it moves fast now."

Diabetes and HIV/AIDS Management
HIV/AIDS patients often present with diabetes or other metabolic disorders. The type of diabetes associated with HIV is Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

It is estimated that India had approximately 1,20,000 new HIV infections in 2009.

Source-IANS

AIDS/HIV - Kaposi's sarcoma
Kaposi sarcoma develops below the skin surfaces or in mucous membranes of mouth, nose or anus and appears as lumps