Guest guest Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Dear FORUM, This is in response to Mr Javed Abbas's message. Hope you enjoy reading these figures: 15 million - people living 5 million - people with lung, liver and other living with HIV kinds of cancer (estimated) 2.5 percent - prevalence 0.8 percent - prevalence of T.B of HIV/AIDS 10 million - deaths due 2 million - deaths due to common fever, to AIDS (1980-2000 Malaria and Dengue estimated/ only 62,000 (1994-2004) reported) 4 million per year - 3,100 per year- death deaths due to Diarrhoea due to AIDS 10 million - children 1 lakh children infected dying of vaccine and orphaned by AIDS preventable diseases till now (no correct every year estimate is available) " Few days " or months - 6-8 years - average life average life expectancy expectancy after being after being infected HIV infected by killer diseases (dengue, malaria, and cancer) " 000 " Rupees/ Dollars ?? Rupees/ Dollars contribution to the contribution to the national income as national income the lifespan is while infected? very short Inaccessible and Inaccessible and unaffordable - Drugs unaffordable - for Dengue, malaria, drugs for HIV diarrhoea and other life saving drugs Stigma and discrimination Stigma and discrimination - persistent with Leprosy - persistent with HIV and T.B. (shall we keep the Dalits and untouchables out?) 20 million - total homeless ??? HIV positive people population living on the who are homeless?? streets, footpaths, railway stations, flyover-sheds, under the shed of parked vehicles 200 million - lack of access ?? to basic, primary health care facilities 200 million - lack of access ?? to safe drinking water, electricity and toilet 350 million " Illiterate " ?? US $ 400 million - Total $350 million - money money spent on all the spent only on above sectors combined HIV/AIDS (1999-04) (1999-2004) US Dollar less than US $ 8 billion - a billion - global fund estimated global fund flow on all other killer flow only on HIV/AIDS diseases (last five (last five years) years) US$ less than a million US$ 6-8 million - cost - cost of holding an of holding a single international conference International conference other than HIV on HIV/AIDS 5 million - people 6-8 million - people living " with " living " on " HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS (All Figures related to India unless otherwise mentioned. All figures collected from available published sources and calculated on the basis of available evidences). Sincerely Subir K. Kole Email: subir@... Website: www.EastWestCenter.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Dear FORUM, This is in response to the posting in HIV/AIDS at a Glance. These are important figures to keep in mind and an excellent rationale for improving healthcare access and treatment for all diseases. In addition, further research into methods and means to address diseases that are ignored in the west because they aren't going to result in " blockbuster " drug sales. Sadly, treatment research based on stocks and shareholders forces for-profit companies to only research drugs they can charge too much for and given to people over years (for which long-term, phase IV data are generally lacking). In addition, prevention programs and research are critically important. How can India assure access to clean water? Reduce smoking? Encourage lifestyle changes among all segments of the population where those are appropriate or feasible? Address poverty and malnutrition? However, let's make a few things clear about the danger of these kinds of statistics. First, HIV/AIDS tends to target young adults and workers--teachers, doctors, truckers, sex workers, business owners, military personnel. The situation in many parts of Africa is devastating. Second, the HIV pandemic is not static. While we can all hope that estimates are higher than the actual pandemic, there are reasons to believe that there may be more than 5 million people (as if that's not enough). The situation, without vigorous prevention AND treatment programs working in tandem, may shift to the far more dire: the pandemic could explode. In a country with many languages, severe poverty and cultural resistance to discussing sexual matters; and where women are treated dismally in many cases and arranged/enforced marriages are often the norm, the challenges for successful prevention programs are profound. Such arguments about the relative merits of addressing HIV " VERSUS " other diseases to my mind is the wrong approach. This world has enormous resources it could exert toward health and healing for a range of diseases. And the research over the past couple of decades in HIV has vastly increased our knowledge of immunology, molecular biology and, indeed, clinical treatment of the myriad infections that are often associated with HIV--so it all works synergistically in the best of scenarios. India has a great deal to offer the world in these areas. It would be an abject horror if the changes in patent law that are being foisted by the developed world on India were to pass and generics were eliminated as a potential tool for managing not only the AIDS pandemic but all other diseases of crisis that we as humans must grapple with. M. E-mail: <fiar@...> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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