Delhi govt issues rebuttal of media report claiming shortage of HIV testing kits in Hospitals
Nov 22, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 22 : Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS), an autonomous body of the Delhi Government on Wednesday rejected the claims made by a media publication which stated that some hospitals in the national capital are facing a shortage in the supply of HIV testing confirmation kits in the national capital.
"With reference to the article titled "Testing Kits in Short Supply, HIV At-risk Groups in
Delhi raise alarm" published in Indian Express dated November 22, 2023 the facts are Delhi reports around 6000 HIV detections every year and in the current year till October 2023 there
have been 3501 HIV detections," DSACS said.
DSACS said that Delhi reports around 6000 HIV detections every year and in the current year till October 2023.
"There have been 3501 HIV detections. During the last 4 months, the detections have been as
July- 485, August - 369, September - 412, October - 409. As of date over 38,000 persons are getting free treatment for HIV in Delhi under the National AIDS Control Programme," DSACS said.
Calling the claims made in the report 'non-factual', DSACS said," Hence the statement of shortage of HIV testing / confirmatory kits is discrepant and has led to sensationalisation of the situation. It has been mentioned that the patients are being sent to the higher centres, which is not factual."
DSACS said that it has been mentioned in the report that there are no confirmatory kits in GTB Hospital, which is incorrect.
"Confirmatory tests were available yesterday and are available today as well. Besides the confirmatory HIV testing at MAMC/LNH is in-house and there is no outsourcing of the tests which has been incorrectly stated in the article. The services of screening and confirmation of HIV are being carried out without any interruption and without any inconvenience to the patients in Delhi," DSACS said.
