India’s HIV patients say shortages leaving hundreds of thousands without drugs

Campaigners say many people have had to stop or switch antiretroviral medication regimes - but the government denies supply crisis

Hundreds of thousands of people living with HIV in India are struggling to access treatment because of a shortage of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, according to campaigners.

Up to 500,000 people have not been able to get hold of free ARVs from government health centres and hospitals over the past five months, they say, as the country experiences stock shortages of key drugs.