HIV drugs shortage is a challenge to ending AIDS in India

In June, PLHIV networks across the country started witnessing an acute shortage of certain Antiretroviral drugs in Anti-Retroviral Therapy centres. Suppressing virus People living with HIV need access to treatment with a combination of drugs known as antiretroviral therapy to suppress the virus, preserve their health, and prevent transmission of the virus to an HIV-negative partner. The National AIDS Control Organisation under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the nodal agency responsible for overlooking and coordinating activities of the National AIDS Control Programme along with the Central Medical Services Society, which is responsible for centralised tendering and pooled procurement of different HIV products, including Antiretroviral drugs. The peaceful dharna in the NACO office seeks to get government attention on the timely tendering and procurement of HIV medicines and to hold accountable the health ministry’s procurement agency, the Central Medical Services Society, responsible for ARVs tenders to ensure an uninterrupted supply of life-saving treatment. In June, People Living with HIV networks across the country started witnessing an acute shortage of certain Antiretroviral drugs in Anti-Retroviral Therapy centres, and among them were pediatric formulations and dolutegravir, the backbone of HIV treatment People living with HIV need access to treatment with a combination of drugs known as antiretroviral therapy to suppress the virus, preserve their health, and prevent transmission of the virus to an HIV-negative partner Governments such as the Indian government have made considerable advances in providing access to testing and antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV Shortages of health products in the supply chain of health programmes are not India’s problem alone and are commonly experienced in low- and middle-income settings