Lok Sabha Question No. 4072 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-04
Subject: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: A.P. JITHENDER REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4072 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 TH JANUARY, 2019

## PRE - EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS

## 4072. SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has undertaken any study to understand the extent to which the use of Pre - exposureprophylaxis (PrEP) medicine could be used to reduce the number of HIV/AIDS patients in India and if so, the details thereof;

- (b) whether the Government has any plan to subsidize and popularize PrEP medicine in India, if so, the details thereof and if not, reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  plans  to introduce  PrEP as  part  of  its  preventive strategy  in combating HIV/AIDS and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons the for;
- (d) whether it is true that Postexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is not readily available for common patients who have b en exposed to HI V/AIDS and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (e) the number of hospitals where PrEP is readily available State/UT - wise  andsteps taken to increase its availability and knowledge; and

(f) whether the Government plans to introduce PrEP in retail pharmacies with outnecessitating prescription, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

(a) : No .

- (b) & (c) : An  Expert  group  has  been  constituted  under  the  National  AIDS  Control Organisation to assess and consider all aspects of inclusion of Pre - exposure Prophylaxis under National AIDS Control Programme.
- (d) : As per current guidelines, Post exposure Prophylaxis is available for healthcare workers with occupational exposure to HIV/AIDS and to victims of sexual assault. Extant guidelin not permit for provision of Post exposure Prophylaxis for people with exposure to HIV/ other than above criteria.
- (e) : The total number of hospitals where Post exposure Prophylaxis is readily availab 1646. The State/UT - wise list is at Annexure. The Programme ensures regular supplies of Po exposure Prophylaxis drugs to all states and includes session on it during trai nings of Health workers.

(f) : No, the  drugs  used  for  Post  exposure  Prophylaxis  are  schedule  'H'  drugs  and  are  not recommended to be provided without prescription of registered medical practitioners.

| S.N.   | State/ UT                 |   Hospital in States/UT with PEP availability |
|--------|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 1      | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |                                             3 |
| 2      | Andhra Pradesh            |                                           154 |
| 3      | Arunachal Pradesh         |                                             5 |
| 4      | Assam                     |                                            18 |
| 5      | Bihar                     |                                            31 |
| 6      | Chandigarh                |                                             7 |
| 7      | Chhattisgarh              |                                            13 |
| 8      | Delhi                     |                                            11 |
| 9      | Goa                       |                                             6 |
| 10     | Gujarat                   |                                            95 |
| 11     | Haryana                   |                                            15 |
| 12     | Himachal Pradesh          |                                            11 |
| 13     | Jammu & Kashmir           |                                             6 |
| 14     | Jharkhand                 |                                            14 |
| 15     | Karnataka                 |                                           260 |
| 16     | Kerala                    |                                            23 |
| 17     | Madhya Pradesh            |                                            50 |
| 18     | Maharashtra               |                                           264 |
| 19     | Manipur                   |                                            24 |
| 20     | Meghalaya                 |                                             5 |
| 21     | Mizoram                   |                                            11 |
| 22     | Mumbai                    |                                            17 |
| 23     | Nagaland                  |                                            14 |
| 24     | Odisha                    |                                            34 |
| 25     | Puducherry                |                                             2 |
| 26     | Punjab                    |                                            15 |
| 27     | Rajasthan                 |                                            63 |
| 28     | Sikkim                    |                                             2 |
| 29     | Tamil Nadu                |                                           225 |
| 30     | Telangana                 |                                            86 |
| 31     | Tripura                   |                                             6 |
| 32     | Uttar Pradesh             |                                            66 |
| 33     | Uttarakhand               |                                            18 |
| 34     | West Bengal               |                                            72 |
|        | India                     |                                          1646 |