NACO slams UNAIDS for posting HIV figures on website
SREELATHA MENON

NEW DELHI, MARCH 3: The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has criticised UNAIDS for publishing the country's yet to be released report on HIV based on a survey done by NACO in 1999.

NACO deputy director P.L. Joshi said that if the data is there on the UNAIDS website then it is wrong of them to have published it. ``It was confidential information and they cannot use it before it is finalised by the NACO. NACO is the agency authorised by the government to give out figures on HIV based on scientific surveys. If UNAIDS starts publishing figures after doing random testing in some centre then what are we here for?'' he asked.

He pointed out that UNAIDS was here to assist NACO run an AIDS prevention programme. It is not here to run the programme, he said, adding that he himself had not been able to find the report on the UNAIDS site. ``I checked the site after seeing the report in The Indian Express. But I could not find it,'' he said.

But when this reporter offered to provide him with printouts of the report, he only repeated that it is wrong on the part of UN agencies to do this.

Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.