Question

82. With reference to ‘HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017’, consider the following statements:
1. The Bill seeks to prevent the spread and control of HIV in the country.
2. The Bill makes anti-retroviral therapy a legal right of HIV/AIDS patient.
3. The Bill does not safeguard the property rights of HIV positive people.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

• A. Only 1 and 2
• B. Only 3
• C. Only 2 and 3
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is A Only 1 and 2

In efforts to strengthen public health infrastructure for the HIV community, the both houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) passed the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome – AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017. It will empower the people affected with the disease by giving them legal sanctity. The bill is significant since India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. The Bill was introduced in 2014. The amendments to this Bill were introduced by the current government in July 2016. Since then there have been several changes to the original Bill. The Bill seeks to prevent and control the spread of HIV and AIDS (1st Statement), prohibits discrimination against persons with HIV and AIDS. The Bill makes anti-retroviral therapy a legal right of HIV/AIDS patient (2nd Statement). The newly passed Bill has provisions to safeguard the property rights of HIV positive people (3rd Statement). Every HIV infected person below the age of 18 years has the right to reside in a shared household and enjoy the facilities of the household.