New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the states to file their responses over the quality of anti-retroviral therapy drugs for treating HIV patients in the country.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a plea filed in 2022 by NGO Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS and others.

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The petitioners have raised concerns over the supply and quality of anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy drugs.

The counsel appearing for the petitioners said till now only four states had furnished their responses to the affidavit filed by them highlighting certain issues including about the process of procurement and quality of drugs.

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"Let all the states file their responses," the bench said.

It asked the Centre and the states to file within a month their responses to the affidavit filed by the petitioners in September last year.

The bench posted the hearing on April 4.

The Centre in July last year apprised the apex court that the government was ensuring the availability of free, life-long ARV drugs for all people living with HIV through ARV therapy centres under the National AIDS Control Programme.

It said as on date, there was adequate stock of all ARV drugs nationally under the programme.

The counsel appearing for the petitioners said given the developments that took place since the filing of the petition, there was no shortage of ART drugs at present, but flagged issues regarding procurement and quality of the drugs.

ARV therapy involves treatment of people infected with HIV using anti-HIV drugs.

The plea claimed that non-availability of drugs at the ARV therapy centres of the National AIDS Control Organisation hampered treatment of those living with the condition.

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