World AIDS Day marked

KATHMANDU: The World AIDS Day was observed across the nation today.

In a programme organised by the Ministry of Health and Population to mark the day, Minister for Health and Population Ram Janam Chaudhary said that he was committed to expanding antiretroviral treatment (ART) service as envisioned in the National Health Policy 2071 BS.

Minister Chaudhary emphasised on the implementation of HIV-related strategies and plans to make the ART service more effective in order to tackle the challenges.

Speaking at the event, the Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Population, Shanta Bahadur Shrestha said that care and treatment for HIV infected people were getting accessible lately and that it was need of the hour to have strategic, effective and strong commitments and efforts and make investment to put the epidemic to an end in Nepal by 2030.

Similarly, the chairman of the National HIV\AIDs Federation Nepal, Achyut Sitaula, said, many people living with HIV have yet to get access to ART service, stressing the need for bringing programmes, targeting people with HIV due to drug abuses and providing access of ART service to all living with HIV.