Why 1.1 mn HIV+ve Indians don't get drugs they need

5 Dariya News

12-Sep-2016

Each of an estimated 2.1 million Indians infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) should be getting a cocktail of drugs to prolong their lives and reduce infections, but no more than 44 per cent do, the Minister of Health told the Lok Sabha in April 2016.In India, the drug cocktail is given to patients with a count of less than 350 CD4 cells per mm3 of blood -- CD4 cells are white blood cells, a count of which indicates the health of a person's immune system.The Health Ministry said 940,000 (70 per cent) of 1.3 million HIV-infected patients with a CD4 count less than 350 are on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The situation is worse among children, with no more than 36 per cent getting ART.