Nutrition packs for HIV patients, including children
This was among the initiatives declared at a combined meeting convened by PACS of the State Council on AIDS and the Legislative Forum on AIDS (LFA) that was presided by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy.
According to a press note, the nutrition supplement packets, each costing ₹1,250, would be provided every month to the target beneficiaries. The implementation of the scheme is estimated to cost the Health department about ₹15,70,000 per month and ₹1,88,40,000 annually.
Tanzin Dikid, Deputy Director General (IEC), National AIDS Control Organisation, Government of India, New Delhi, in his keynote address, outlined the thrust areas of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP).
Speaker R. Selvam, Jayanta Kumar Ray, Health Secretary, S. Sevvel, Health Director and other officials participated.
It was also decided to extend funeral assistance of ₹15,000 to the spouse/relatives of Persons living with HIV/AIDS who are residents of Puducherry. Accounting for an average of two funerals per month, this scheme will receive a financial allocation of ₹3,75,000 per year.
An annual educational scholarship for Children of PLHIVs in the Union Territory of Puducherry has also been instituted. Accordingly, students of classes 1 to 5 will get ₹5,000, students of classes 6 to 8 a sum of ₹10,000, while those studying in classes 9 to 12 will receive an aid amount of ₹15,000 and students of degree/higher studies an annual assistance of ₹20,000.
It is expected that about 100 students will stand to benefit from this scheme every year. The annual expenditure is estimated to be ₹16,50,000 towards running the scheme.
It has also been decided at the meeting to provide Patient Care Allowance (PCA) to all 80 contractual staff of PACS on a par with regular health staffs of Government of Puducherry. Accordingly, each staff of PACS is entitled for a monthly Patient Care Allowance of ₹4,100 and an annual budget of ₹39,36,000 has to be allocated for this allowance, the press note said.
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