Tweet
HIV+ protest proposed EU FTA, fear price rise
Hundreds of HIV positive sex workers, transgenders and others took out a silent protest march in the southern city of Mysore on Friday against the European Union for its proposed free trade agreement with India for the supply of generic drugs.
The HIV positive sex workers who came from five districts protested under the banner of Ashraya and Ashodaya Samiti, sex workers’ community-based organisations.
The sex workers found this agreement vague and said it would affect them badly. According to them, it was a matter of grave concern for them as the agreement would increase the price of Anti-Retroviral Drug (ART) for HIV manifold.
According to Bhagyamma, president of Ashodaya Samiti, Mysore, at present ART drugs were made possible at affordable prices but if the agreement was signed with the EU, the prices will go up and many HIV positive people will die unable to afford the cost.
She wants the Government of India not to sign the EU agreement on generic drugs under FTA and finds this move suicidal”.
She said, “The ART is cheaper and affordable in India. This has been made possible primarily due to the availability of generic drugs that Indian pharmaceutical manufactures supply at affordable cost to over 96 countries across the globe.
“The treatment for HIV costs Rs 2,500 a month for a person which makes it economically viable for India to provide it free of cost. But once they sign an agreement with the EU, it would sound death knell for the HIV+ people,” she added.
“This agreement will snatch this hope away and make us destitute once again. We cannot allow this to happen”, said Pallavi, a transgender and president of Ashraya.
Hundreds of HIV positive sex workers, transgenders and others took out a silent protest march in the southern city of Mysore on Friday against the European Union for its proposed free trade agreement with India for the supply of generic drugs.
The HIV positive sex workers who came from five districts protested under the banner of Ashraya and Ashodaya Samiti, sex workers’ community-based organisations.
The sex workers found this agreement vague and said it would affect them badly. According to them, it was a matter of grave concern for them as the agreement would increase the price of Anti-Retroviral Drug (ART) for HIV manifold.
According to Bhagyamma, president of Ashodaya Samiti, Mysore, at present ART drugs were made possible at affordable prices but if the agreement was signed with the EU, the prices will go up and many HIV positive people will die unable to afford the cost.
She wants the Government of India not to sign the EU agreement on generic drugs under FTA and finds this move suicidal”.
She said, “The ART is cheaper and affordable in India. This has been made possible primarily due to the availability of generic drugs that Indian pharmaceutical manufactures supply at affordable cost to over 96 countries across the globe.
“The treatment for HIV costs Rs 2,500 a month for a person which makes it economically viable for India to provide it free of cost. But once they sign an agreement with the EU, it would sound death knell for the HIV+ people,” she added.
“This agreement will snatch this hope away and make us destitute once again. We cannot allow this to happen”, said Pallavi, a transgender and president of Ashraya.
