Indian meeting of Parliamentary Forum on HIV/AIDS

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24 Jul 2003 08:39:05 GMT.Indian meeting sets up Asian anti-AIDS fight

By Reaney

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - India, China and Indonesia are the new

battlegrounds in the fight against AIDS but have a unique chance to

combat the disease by preparing early, an expert said on Thursday.

They may also, paradoxically, have been helped in the struggle by the

grim example of the SARS epidemic, according to Dr Piot.

" These three countries are highly vulnerable, " said Piot, the head of

UNAIDS which is spearheading the global battle against HIV/AIDS. With

more than four million people living with HIV/AIDS, India is already

vying with, and may have surpassed, South Africa for the dubious

distinction of having the highest number of sufferers in the world.

And the immense populations in China and Indonesia mean even a small

jump in the percentage of infections could be disastrous.

But Piot is hoping that India's first National Convention of the

Parliamentary Forum on HIV/AIDS, on July 26-27, will be a blueprint for

other Asian nations to follow so the continent does not suffer the same

fate as sub-Saharan Africa.

" It is time for India to wake up and to act now because otherwise the

price will be much, much higher, " Piot said in an interview.

HISTORIC EVENT

The main aims of the meeting of 1,500 politicians from all parties and

levels of government in the nation of one billion people is to allocate

budgets to fight HIV/AIDS and enact legislation to remove the stigma

attached to it.

" Up to now...it has not been a cause that has been embraced by the

elected representatives of the people from all parties, " Piot said.

" That is important. Every single party is now participating -- it is

extremely rare that all parties (in India) gather together around one

theme with one agenda. " Piot believes the real challenge in battling

AIDS in India and other Asian countries is at the local level.

A particular problem in India is that although generic anti-AIDS drugs

are produced in the country they are not available for the people who

need them.

Heterosexual transmission and intravenous drug injections are the main

modes of transmission of HIV in the country. In some areas up to five

percent of pregnant women are infected.

" That is getting to levels that are unprecedented in Asia and it reminds

us of where some of the African countries were 15 years ago, " said Piot.

Most healthcare in India is provided by the private sector but many

people rely on the public sector which is under-funded.

" This will require some subsidies from the government and that is why

this type of leadership meeting is so important, " he said.

The AIDS epidemic in Asia is still hidden and decision-makers are

reluctant to allocate money to fight it. But in their favour, Asian

countries have human resources, money and infrastructures which are much

scarcer in African nations.

Piot believes the human, political and economic costs of the outbreak of

the flu-like SARS epidemic in Asia raised awareness of the dire

consequences of epidemics and the importance of prevention.

" I think that is positive. What's the incentive for political leaders to

deal with something? It's when it touches the economy, stability and

security, " he said.