Government should provide appropriate nutrition along with anti retorviral (ARV) drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS ( PLHAs).
This was the bottomline of the convention on ‘Food and Security and HIV and AIDS’ organised in the City on Monday by Bangalore HIV and AIDS Forum. Around 150 representatives from various organisations working with PLHAs took part in the convention and voiced their concern over the health hazards faced by the vulnerable groups.
Dr Heera, Deputy Director of Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) said that though there’s no provision for giving nutritional supplement along with ARV, she would make a recommendation for it to be included in the National AIDS Control Policy - Phase Three.  Quite a few of PLHAs pointed out the absence of ARV drugs and HIV testing kits in government hospitals in the voluntary counselling and testing centres in the City and district hospitals. There is a severe shortage of lab technicians in government hospitals in Shimoga and Hubli, and in Belgaum there are no stocks, they added.
State Women’s Commission chairperson Pramilla Nesargi said government hospitals should have ARV drug banks, where PLHAs can go and take  medicines.