New Delhi: In an unique initiative, Delhi
Government on Thursday decided to extend monthly financial
assistance and free medical treatment to HIV and AIDS patients
in the city.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, chairing a State AIDS
Council meeting, directed Health department to come out with a
comprehensive plan to provide financial assistance to the HIV
and AIDS affected patients in the city.
The meeting also decided to provide nutritional
support to the patients, besides offering them free treatment,
including diagnostic tests like CT scan, MRI (magnetic
resonance imaging), ultra-sound test, at government-run
hospitals across the metropolis.
Officials said a total of 30,738 HIV affected people
have registered at nine Anti Retro Therapy (ART) centres in
Delhi, which is considered as a low HIV prevalence city.
Delhi is currently implementing the third phase of the
National AIDS Control Programme with an aim to reduce the
number of infected people by 40 per cent in the next five
years.
According to officials, HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in
Delhi is is 0.21% per cent of the total population.
PTI
