Haryana State AIDS Control Society , Centre has reduced their budget

In Haryana, there is continuous rise in the number of HIV patients, unfortunately the awareness programs as were conducted in past are not being organized these days. No one is paying any attention to it. According to Haryana State AIDS Control Society , Centre has reduced their budget and whatever is being received 72% of that is spent on salary of the staff only, remaining amount is not enough to fulfill other formalities. On 1st December , however some programs are do held in the name of “World Aids Day”.

As per the information from reliable resources in the year 2016-17, when blood test of 4, 72,659 general patients was conducted 4328 were found HIV positive. During this period 3, 73,293 pregnant women were also tested and 304 of them were found HIV positive. It’s obvious that newly born babies of these women would have been infected with HIV.

Now the 2017-18 Financial year is going on so, till September 2017 the blood samples of 2, 23,643 general patients has been taken and out of that 2344 has been found HIV positive . Similarly, 1, 80,832 pregnant women when tested then out of them 170 women were tested HIV positive.
On the one side, the increase in number of positive patients is an alarming sign; on the other side only awareness is the only way to keep it under control .And no attention is being paid on awareness programs at all. In Haryana since 2008 approximately 4300 HIV Patients had died till date.
It is worth to be mentioned here that the function of Haryana State AIDS Control Society is to educate the people of state about AIDS. But these neither days neither the seminars are being held nor people are being made aware in those areas from where large number of HIV patients are being identified regularly and their number is increasing alarmingly.
Continuous depreciation in Budget-
Haryana State AIDS Control Society received budget of -

In the year 2013-14, budget received -32 crores
In the year 2014-15, budget received -29 crores 29 lakhs
In the year 2015-16, budget received -23 crores
In the year 2016-17, budget received -14 crores 82 lakhs
 In the year 2017-18, budget received- 12 crores 50 lakhs only

Now the most important thing is there are 37 employees on contract in Haryana State AIDS Control Society and approximately RS 9 lakhs are spent per month on their salary only. There are 5 permanent doctors deputed and one finance officer and approximately RS 10.5 lakhs are spent per month on their salary.

Now 72 % of the budget received from centre is spent on the remuneration of these employees only. Remaining amount is spent on blood testing, Facility Interrelated Counseling etc. Now, nothing is left to be spent for the awareness programs .Since the budget is drastically reduced in last two years, so people are not being aware about the AIDS .
There are only 4 NGOs which are working up to some extent to educate people about this dreadful disease.

However as per the data with government shows 16000 registered HIV positive patients and 9000 patients are still left without being any registration anywhere at all. However, from reliable sources it is said that this number could be above 29000 as Health Department cannot conduct anyone’s test without one’s permission. For this, first counseling of the patient is required and then HIV test is conducted.
Haryana State AIDS Control Society , gets its whole budget from centre, there is no funding from State Government. The rules which are applicable are that of National AIIDS Control Organization ( NACO) .
On this matter, no official of Haryana State AIDS Control Society is ready to comment.
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“Look! Whatever you are saying, I have understood, no need to worry, soon there a meeting of officials of Haryana State AIDS Control Society will be called and will be instructed strictly to make people aware more and more people about it. What Haryana Government can do in matter of budget, will be paid due attention.”
-Anil Viz, Health Minister, Haryana Government