Alleging there were moves by the Union Government to shut down Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) for HIV / AIDS, the Tamil Nadu AIDS Control All Employees Welfare Association said this would affect people living with HIV.
At the association’s State conference held in Tiruchi on Sunday, a resolution was adopted to safeguard the ICTCs. In Tamil Nadu amongst a total of 377 ICTCs, 82 were closed down in March 2024 and 104 are under observation for a shutdown, said M. Cheralathan, general secretary of the organisation.
“People living with HIC / AIDS have to take tablets daily. In this situation, it is wrong to shut down ICTCs by citing the decrease in registered AIDS cases. The World Health Organisation has said after COVID period, AIDS awareness should be increased amongst the youth and adolescents,” he added.
