Delhi high court asks Centre to draw plan on dialysis facility for HIV+

Expressing concern over the fact that only a few city hospitals have maintenance dialysis facility for HIV-positive patients, the Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to work out an action plan in this regard in coordination with the NCT Government.

"The number of hospitals which offer maintenance dialysis to HIV-positive patients are perhaps just three including AIIMS...This is a matter of concern considering the number of such people who are in dire need of maintenance," said Justice S Muralidhar.

The court asked the Union as well as Delhi Health Secretaries to convene an urgent meeting with the Medical Superintendents of all major hospitals of the capital and work out an action plan within three weeks.

Seeking a report by August 12, Justice Muralidhar cited the affidavit filed by the Directorate of Health Services of Delhi Government in which it was admitted that only AIIMS, Safdarjung and Indraprastha Apollo, a private hospital, have the facility to provide maintenance dialysis and they can provide only to limited patients.

The court was hearing a petition filed by a HIV positive patient seeking direction to AIIMS and other government hospitals in the city after they failed to provide him the maintenance dialysis for his treatment.