Bill giving equal rights to HIV patients passed

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 11

With the Lok Sabha according its nod, Parliament today passed a crucial Bill ensuring equal rights to people affected by HIV and AIDS in getting treatment, admissions in educational institutions and jobs.

Lauding the members for showing unanimity for the passage of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017, in the Lok Sabha, Union Health Minister JP Nadda termed it a “historic” moment. He also noted that the government “stands committed for free treatment of HIV patients”. The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on March 21.

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Maintaining that the Bill was “people centric”, Nadda said it strengthened the rights of the people infected with HIV. “It is not the case that before coming of this Bill, these people (infected with HIV) were not empowered. But with the passage of this Bill, they will feel more empowered,” he said.

The Bill lists various grounds on which discrimination against HIV-positive persons and those living with them is prohibited.

Asserting that there would be no discrimination against persons infected with HIV, the minister said, “Whosoever does not adhere to the provisions of the Bill will be penalised. There would also be civil and criminal proceedings against them.” Legal action, he said, would be initiated against persons who created an environment against the HIV patients.

“Action will be also taken against those impeding the implementation of the Bill provisions,” Nadda said, adding that the legislation has provisions to safeguard the property rights of HIV-positive people.

The minister said the government would promote research to check HIV virus and come out with aggressive strategies on that, especially in high-risk areas, counselling and testing.