The Supreme Court has sought response from the Centre and others on a plea alleging shortage of anti-retroviral drugs for treating HIV patients in the country.
A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hima Kohli issued notice to the Ministry of Health, National AIDS Control Organisation and others on a plea filed by an NGO.
"The petitioners have submitted that there are shortages in the procurement of ART drugs in the country and the tender for 2021-22, which was due in August 2021, was issued in December 2021 and eventually failed. Issue notice, returnable in two weeks," the bench said.
Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is treatment of people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using anti-HIV drugs.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by NGO Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS alleging shortage of antiretroviral drugs in the country.
The plea contended that non-availability of drugs at the Anti-Retro Viral Therapy Centres of the National AIDS Control Organisation results in hampering ARV treatment of the people living with HIV/AIDS.
