Indian response to HIV/AIDS inadequate: UNAIDS

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Indian response to HIV/AIDS inadequate: UNAIDS

UNI New Delhi Feb 2: Even though India has the second highest number

of HIV/AIDS patients in the world, the national response to the

impending catastrophe is totally inadequate, according to UNAIDS.

" The HIV/AIDS situation in India is really very frightening if we look

at the growth trend of aids epidemic during the past 20-25 years.

Though the prevalence rate was below one per cent at present, in terms

of actual numbers it was second only to South Africa with 5.1 million

HIV positive persons. Moreover, our experience in South Africa has

shown that from below one per cent less than 15 years back that

country now has 25 per cent prevalence rate. So if we do not act now

the situation in India would be catastrophic in the next 10 to 15

years. Then it would really be difficult to control the situation, "

said Dr Suman Mehta, UNAIDS associate director Asia, Pacific and the

Middle East country and regional support department.

Talking to UNI, Dr Mehta, who is based in Geneva and has come here on

an official visit, said that the situation was more frightening as

instead of sex workers or men having sex with men, the infection has

now reached the general population and that to married women in

monogamous relationship and children. Women were more vulnerable as

studies have shown that the chance of them getting infected was two to

three times more than men catching it from them.

However, the national response to the impending catastrophe was not

adequate as most of the HIV/AIDS programmes in India is being

supported by external funding be it of the global fund for HIV/AIDS,

TB and Malaria, World Bank and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and

other such NGOs. For sustainability of the national response to

HIV/AIDS domestic fund flow was important, but adequate fund for

HIV/AIDS has not been allocated. But at least for the the first time

health and family welfare ministry has made separate allocation for

HIV/AIDS programme.

Dr Mehta, however, lauded the political commitment being shown by the

Indian leaders including the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh to the

HIV/AIDS issue, constitution of the National AIDS Commission and the

issue being included in the common minimum programme. She stressed the

need for translating this political commitment into action at ground

level especially in states and districts to contain the disease in

remote areas.

The government has now made 100 per cent awareness of AIDS in six

months and 0 per cent transmission by 2007 as the national goal but it

has been slow to come out with available treatment facilities due to

various reasons including non-availability of drugs, as it is

expensive and the health care system is incapable to provide the drugs.

However, for the response to be effective, it needs to be

comprehensive with the preventive and treatment, care and support

issues being dealt with.

Awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention alone was not sufficient as

knowledge alone does not ensure total prevention which requires

behaviour change of the people and support of the community and the

government.

Millions of HIV positive patients out there need care and support

which require a comprehensive plan. The government has been late to

come on the board on this, but recently some steps have been taken to

provide support to the affected people.

However, the UNAIDS official said the government response alone would

not be sufficient to deal with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The national

response to the AIDS challenge has to be led by the government but

should include all NGOs, people living with HIV/AIDS, youngsters who

are at risk and the corporate sector.

Appreciating that some of the corporate groups like Tata, Modi and

Reliance have started HIV/AIDS policies for their employees, she

called for big industrialists to come together and act as peers for

other industrialists to come forward and share this affirmative action.

" Moreover, private sector also have to share this public response to

the national calamity which unfortunately is not being seen. None of

the industrial houses have come forward to announce that they would

contribute some five to ten million rupees annually to forward the

HIV/AIDS policy and asked others to form the consortium for this, Dr

Mehta lamented

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