Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 28:
Disposing off a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the Imphal Bench of the Gauhati High Court has observed that the State and all other authorities concerned should ensure regular supply of Anti-Retroviral drugs/medicines for treatment of HIV/AIDS infected patients.
Justice D Biswas and TNK Singh passed the order on April 26 following a PIL filed by W Joykumar, programme executive of Human Rights Alert.
The petition prayed before the Court to issue a direction to the authorities concerned to provide adequate ART drugs to HIV/AIDS infected persons through ART treatment units set up at RIMS and JN Hospital.
Counsel appearing for one of the respondents submitted before the Court that there is adequate stock of medicines for HIV/AIDS infected persons and the ART unit at RIMS has been extending proper treatment to the patients with the available medicines.
The Counsel also submitted that regular supply of medicines should be ensured so that the patients do not suffer from deficiency in such supply.Central Government Standing Counsel put forward before that Court that there is no dearth in the supply of medicines by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).
Advocate Meihoubam Rakesh, Manipur co-ordinator of Human Rights Law Network appeared on behalf of the petitioner.