Growth of India's HIV-Positive Population Slows

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Growth of India's HIV-Positive Population Slows

Mon Mar 18, 1:23 PM ET

By Sanjay Kumar

NEW DELHI (Reuters Health) - India's HIV (news - web sites)-infected

population increased by 110,000 in 2001, the country's health

ministry reports, bringing the total number of HIV-positive people in

India to 3.97 million.

India has the second highest number of HIV-positive people globally,

after South Africa. The 2001 increase was less than that seen in

2000, when 160,000 new cases of HIV infection were reported.

" The estimated number of adults with HIV in the country for 1998,

1999 and 2000 were 3.5 million, 3.7 million and 3.8 million

respectively, " the health ministry noted.

The new figures come from the HIV Sentinel Surveillance Round 2001,

conducted in 320 sites in all of India's states and territories from

August to October. There were 88 new sites included in 2001. The

current surveillance sites include 135 at sexually transmitted

disease clinics, 170 at antenatal clinics, 13 sites for intravenous

drug users (IDUs) and 2 sites for men having sex with men (MSM).

HIV Sentinel Surveillance was established in India in 1994 with 55

sites to monitor trends of HIV infection in high- as well as low-risk

groups.

Researchers estimated India's HIV-positive population as 3.31 million

people between the ages of 15 and 49, according to the National AIDS

(news - web sites) Control Organization (NACO). " With a 20%

variability to take care of unaccounted numbers of IDUs, MSM and

other age groups, a working estimate of 3.97 million HIV infections

was arrived at, " NACO stated.

" This shows that while the epidemic is still spreading in the

country, there is a gradual decrease in new infections, " the

organization explained.

" Over a period of time, the new infections may reduce to a negligible

number, which is an indicator of plateauing of the epidemic, " NACO

added. Given existing indicators, this could occur in the next 3 to 4

years if a " strong and effective " program is implemented in all of

India's states.

" Encouraging " signs of such stabilization have been seen in states

with a high HIV prevalence, the ministry said in a press release.

The most recent estimates were arrived at in consultation with

experts from the World Health Organization (news - web sites) and

UNAIDS (news - web sites), the health ministry noted. In the past,

UNAIDS and health ministry figures of AIDS deaths in India have

differed dramatically, with Indian government officials challenging

the UNAIDS figures and methodology publicly.

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