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Delhi High Court Directs Government To Ensure Free Food & Medical Treatment For Poor HIV Patients
Writer: Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
Delhi, 3 Jan 2023 12:49 PM GMT
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She writes about gender issues, human interest, and environment.
Creatives : Ronit Kumar Singh
A confident and reliable journalist who always desires to toss the unheard voices. I cover politics and governance extensively through stories.
The Delhi High Court's directions came after hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea filed by numerous displaced and homeless persons with HIV and other ailments, who couldn't afford food or medical treatment independently.
In its recent judgment, the Delhi government has been directed by the Delhi High Court to ensure free medical treatment and food for HIV/AIDS-positive patients below the poverty line and unable to afford both things independently.
A division of the bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad mentioned that the government should comply with statutory provisions made under the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, as well as Delhi Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Ombudsman and Legal Proceedings) Rules, 2022.
The Delhi High Court's directions for the government came after hearing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea filed by numerous displaced and homeless persons with HIV and other ailments. The plea also sought other demands, including well-being, safety, housing, counseling, caregivers, hot-cooked meals, and 24-hour hospice for HIV/AIDS-positive patients.
Delhi Government Responds
In response, the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has informed the Delhi High Court that National AIDS Control Programme has been implemented in Delhi since 1998 by the Delhi State AIDS Society under the technical and financial support of the Centre's National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).
They added that the government's December 19, 2022 status report has shown that several schemes and measures have been taken to provide assistance and aid to HIV-positive patients in the national capital.
The Delhi High Court has also considered a scheme in the public domain titled 'Travel concession scheme for PLHIVS/CLHIVs for People/Children infected with HIV, attending the ART (Anti-retroviral therapy) centers in Delhi for undertaking visits to the ART centers.' Under this scheme, the Delhi government has more than 120 beneficiaries and 420 applications in-process, reported The Indian Express.
Disposing off the PIL plea, the court considered the Delhi Government for ensuring compliance with the 2017 Act. Under the same, all the possible steps were taken to provide affordable treatment to HIV-affected individuals.
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