The Hindu Business Line : AIDS body under Ministry scanner — External agency to review performance

THE United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government has started reviewing the various health initiatives, including the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).

Senior officials in the Health Ministry said that the Government would appoint an external agency to review the performance of NACO so far. "An institute such as the Indian Institute of Management or any such reputed body could be hired. Based on its findings and recommendations, we may make changes in NACO," they said. Currently, NACO is in-charge of Government programme that aims at offering free anti-AIDS or anti-retroviral drugs to one-lakh patients in the next five years.

India's battle against HIV/AIDS programme commenced in 1986 when a high-powered National AIDS Committee was constituted and a National AIDS Control Programme was launched in 1987. Since 1992 the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and the State AIDS Control Societies (SACS), which were set up subsequently, are the nodal implementing agencies under the National AIDS Control Program (NACP).

Taking a cue from Thailand's success in combating HIV/AIDS, the Health Minister, Dr R. Anbumani is in favour of increasing awareness about the disease and promoting usage of condoms in a big way. "The Government is not in favour of the ABC (to abstain, be faithful to your partner and use condom if the first two were not possible) strategy and will start large awareness and condom promoting campaigns," said sources.

While condom advertisements are back on television channels including Doordarshan, the Ministry is planning to initiate discussions with the national broadcaster to offer ad spots at lower rates. Along with this, the Health Ministry will also include information on HIV/AIDS in school curriculum.

NACO is in discussions with the HRD Ministry and the National Centre for Education Research and Technology on this issue.

Clinton Foundation to review arrangements with pharma cos

OFFICIALS of the Clinton Foundation have come calling to review its business arrangements with pharma companies.

Last year, the Foundation had agreed to procure anti-AIDS drugs from four Indian pharmaceutical majors - Matrix Laboratories, Cipla, Ranbaxy and Hetero drugs at cheaper rates (at $139 a year) for the South African and Carribean countries.

Sources in the pharma industry said that the World Health Organisation's (WHO) decision to delist ARVs (anti-retrovirals) manufactured by Cipla and Ranbaxy could be a cause for concern even for the Foundation. However, the companies chose to call the visit "routine" and maintained that the WHO delisting was just a temporary glitch.

The companies would conduct fresh bio-equivalence studies and submit the data, they added. While Cipla, has already submitted its bio-equivalence data for lamivudine, Ranbaxy is also working towards submitting data for its three drugs at the earliest.

The representatives of the Foundation are also expected to meet senior Health Ministry officials on the domestic AIDS programme. The Foundation had earlier offered to help the Government procure diagnostic kits.