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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Nutrition packs for HIV patients, including children
The Health department will distribute monthly nutrition supplement packs to an estimated 1,256 People Living with HIV and Children Living with HIV through the Pondicherry AIDS Control Society (PACS). 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.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
AIDS control employees association writes to NACO seeking salary raise and welfare benefits
The Tamil Nadu AIDS Control All Employees Welfare Association has urged the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) to provide annual salary raise, include all eligible employees under the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) scheme and extend Ayushman Bharat health coverage to all employees working under various components under the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS). In a letter to the Director General of NACO, the association raised the long-standing issue of lack of salary enhancement and absence of essential employee welfare benefits. 'It is disheartening to inform you that for the past several years, the employees engaged in different programme components under TANSACS have not received annual increment or financial allowances. Despite their dedicated contribution to the implementation and success of various interventions under the National AIDS Control Programme, these employees continue to work under stagnant remuneration structures, with no provision of inflation-based adjustments, incentives, or allowances,' the association said in the letter. Many employees were not covered under basic social security schemes such as EPF or health benefit schemes such as Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. The association urged NACO to consider providing annual salary raise through a structured mechanism for annual increments or to introduce cost-of-living adjustments to ensure fair and sustained compensation to all employees. All eligible employees should be included under EPF scheme to provide financial security and retirement benefits. Extend Ayushman Bharat health coverage to all employees working under various TANSACS components, ensuring access to quality healthcare, the association's president M. Jayanthi and general secretary M. Cheralathan urged NACO in the letter. The association hoped that necessary steps to address the welfare and rights of the workforce would be initiated.
