Tamil Nadu: Nothing positive in HIV bill, say patients

Chennai: Condemning the passing of the HIV/AIDS Bill in the Rajya Sabha on March 21, those with the disease, from across the country, came together, on Thursday, demanding free and complete treatment of HIV positive people, which the bill fails to ensure.

The bill, in its present form, states that the Central and the state governments would take measures to, as far as possible, provide antiretroviral treatment, diagnostics, and treatment for opportunistic infections to those living with HIV. 

Demanding the removal of the term ‘as far as possible’, those who gathered on Thursday, termed the Bill ‘of no value’. “All these years, we have been fighting for free and complete treatment as a right under this bill. However, the bill in this form is of no value to those living with HIV,” said Daisy David from the Chennai Network of Positive People.

Despite the fact that the Congress moved an amendment to remove the term from the bill, it withdrew the same at the last minute. “What happened in Parliament seemed to be an orchestrated drama, which could have been avoided. The term ‘as far as possible’ could have completely diluted the bill,” said R. Selvam, also from the state Network of Positive people.