Amid protests over drug shortages and stock-outs by people living with HIV, the Union Health Ministry, in response to a question in Parliament, said there is enough stock of medicines for 95% of the people for treatment and Nationally available monthly stock of three-three-drug dolutegravir combination pill.
“There is adequate stock of ARV medicines nationally for around 95% PLHIV in India who are on various 1st and 2nd line ARV regimens….most of the PLHIV in India are on the single pill Dolutegravir-based regimen (Tablet TLD: Tenofovir+Lamivudine+Dolutegravir), for which there is around 3 months’ stock nationally,” said the written reply of Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar.
The protesters, however, continue to sit outside the office of the National AIDS Control Organisation, demanding that all the medicines be made available and sufficient stock be maintained so that pills for an entire month can be dispensed in one go. The PLHIV started their protest on July 21 after stocks of some of the medicines ran out even in the capital.
Hari Shanker, one of the protesters associated with the Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP Plus), said: “Let’s go by their statement: There are nearly 15 lakh people on ART (anti-retroviral therapy) across the country. If the drugs are not available even for 5%, it affects 75,000 people with HIV. Going off treatment is a death sentence for PLHIV.”
He added that the shortage was never of the TLD combination single pill, instead of the separate Dolutegravir 50mg pill. “The combination pill is available, yes. The problem is with the separate Dolutegravir 50mg pill, which is given to PLHIV who have tuberculosis and many on second and third line therapies,” he said, adding that many people returned empty-handed from one of the biggest ART centres in Delhi at Lok Nayak hospital just one day ago.
Apart from this, there is also a shortage of Lopinavir/ Ritonavir which is given to children and there is also a shortage of Nevirapine syrup given to infants in many states.
“The ARV stock position is closely monitored by NACO. There is no stock out for ARV drugs at the state level,” the Parliament’s reply said.
The reply also said: “If there is occasional anticipated shortage issue, then proactive steps are taken to ensure uninterrupted supply of ARV drugs to all PLHIV through immediate relocation from nearby ART centres or other states. Further, State/District AIDS Control Societies are authorized to do emergency local procurement of ARV drugs (as per requirement, & as an interim measure) from their budgeted Grant-in-aid. A sufficient budget is allocated under the head “ARV for exceptional cases” for all 36 SACS under the Annual Action Plan by NACO for an emergency local procurement of ARV medicines.”
Protesters said some “active” states have actually made local purchases of drugs, but others are facing shortages as national supplies are being disrupted after tender failures.
