K’taka AIDS programme ailing, warns Ramadoss

In a letter written in February, the Minister appreciated Chief Minister Kumaraswamy’s “bold step” to stay at the home of a HIV-affected person at Bagalkot in north Karnataka. But the Minister also pointed out that there has been “a virtual collapse in the functioning of the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society”.

“In view of the frequent changes of the project director—three officers in the last year—the annual action plan for the current year for all purposes has not been implemented,” he added in the letter.

Union Health Ministry data shows Karnataka has utilised only Rs 8 crore of the Rs 41 crore made available to it for various HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs last fiscal year.

“Except organising the World AIDS Day function, no major Information Education Communication activities have taken place this year. Only seven per cent of the Budget has been utilised,” says a note attached with the Health Minister’s letter.

“Obviously the government is according very low priority to HIV/AIDS. I would only like to caution you of the consequences of this neglect. It was such continued neglect that led Andhra Pradesh to face the high burden of disease it is now facing,” states NACO director general Rao in her letter to the state health secretary.

State Health Minister R Ashok admits that the lack of a permanent head for the Karnataka State Aids Prevention Society has hampered implementation of the AIDS control program.

“We have utilised 40 per cent of the funds contrary to what the Centre is saying. We also dragged back prevalence rates for the state to 1.1 per cent from around 1.8 per cent. It is true that there has been under utilisation of fund because the post of project director has remained empty for long. This will change soon,” he clarified.

With NACO insisting on appointing an IAS officer to head the Aids Prevention Society, it has been difficult to find officers interested in heading the program, he says.

“Whoever is appointed moves out within a couple of months. We are considering a proposal to facilitate even a Karnataka Administrative Services officer to head the AIDS prevention society,” Ashok added.

With a four-fold increase in central funding under the National Aids Control Program (NACP-III) from April 1, 2007 and with USAID funding also coming

Karnataka’s way, the state government must resuscitate the AIDS prevention society to make effective use of resources, Ramadoss says in his letter.