India to Enact Law to Prevent Discrimination Against HIV Patients – Minister

  

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad lighting the lamp at 

the World AIDS Day Celebrations, in New Delhi on December 01, 2011. 

The Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dikshit is also seen. PIB Photo

 

 

NEW DELHI (NNN-Bernama) -- The Indian government on Thursday has pledged to enact a law soon, to ensure that there is no discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients following complaints from activists, accusing that the government is not showing urgency is initiating such law.

 

Health Minister Ghulan Nabi Azad said that his ministry will receive the draft of law from Law Ministry in next ten days, and will soon table it in Parliament.

 

However, he did not mention as to when the bill will be introduced in Parliament, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported Thursday.

 

Azad was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the function to mark World AIDS Day here. The World AIDS Day is observed December 1 every year.

 

Activists have been demanding the immediate passage of a law while expressing disappointment over the "apathy" shown towards HIV-infected people.

 

They have alleged that the government was not showing any urgency on the issue and appealed to it to pass the HIV/AIDS bill in the Winter Session.

 

A group of NGOs and Lawyers' Collective, a legal advocacy group that helped draft the HIV/AIDS bill, said the measure is very important in the light of the "large-scale" discrimination being faced by the HIV positive people in the country.

 

While, to create awareness about the HIV/AIDS, Azad said the government will soon start 'Red Buses' on the lines of 'Red Trains' which will be used for campaign purposes.

 

"Wherever trains can't reach, we will use the buses," he said, adding that the Delhi government will provide Rs1, 600 to Rs 2,000 financial assistance to HIV/AIDS children, and parents who are infected by it. -- NNN-BERNAMA