Both States neglect AIDS programme as 15 important posts are lying vacant

Hyderabad: The AIDS control programme in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh has been affected due to lack of staff for checking blood safety, procuring condoms and ensuring proper work at the ground level due to infighting and one upmanship in the department.

Over 15 important posts are lying vacant. Joint director, blood safety, basic services, procurement officer, and staff occupying other administrative positions have resigned. A senior officer said, “The key posts are vacant and as the department is in Schedule X of the Reorganisation Act neither government is taking an active interest in the society. This indifference is affecting the programme.”

With a senior position like that of blood safety being vacant, the protocol of blood safety in blood banks is not being monitored. Clinics operating under the programme are not being monitored properly due to which new cases of AIDS are not being addressed with the aggression that was there earlier.

Another officer said, “Video conferencing with the districts helped us tackle all the issues at the grassroot level. It was a transparent and effective practice, but all this has been stopped now. We do not understand the reason neglecting the programme when the systems were implemented and followed.”

The worst hit are employees of APSACS and the non-government organisations who have not been paid salaries. Employees have complained to the health ministers of both the states, but there has been no action so far.

Dr B. Kishore, project director of APSACS, was not available for comment.