India's treatment programme for AIDS is premature
BMJ 2004;328:70 (10 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7431.70-fThe announcement by India's health minister - on the eve of world AIDS day in December - that from 1 April 2004 the government will provide free antiretroviral drugs to 100 000 HIV positive people in six states with high prevalence of the infection has left the bureaucracy and AIDS experts confused and in a state of shock. The poor infrastructure, few facilities, and lack of training have prompted serious apprehension among those working in the field.
