New Delhi, Dec 8 (Inditop.com) The HIV/AIDS bill, aimed at preventing discrimination and protecting the rights of people living with the disease, is “under finalisation”, union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Tuesday.
Azad informed the Rajya Sabha that the government proposes to introduce the HIV/AIDS bill but there were no firm dates yet.
“The draft of the bill on HIV/AIDS is at present under finalisation. However, no firm date can be indicated at this stage,” he said in a written reply to a question on when the bill was going to be introduced in parliament.
India has 2.5 million HIV/AIDS patients who often battle discrimination and social ostracism at various levels.
The bill aims to ensure equal rights for HIV positive people so that they don’t face discrimination at work, healthcare centres, in education and other settings.
The bill was first drafted in 2005, but has since run into roadblocks.
rounak