NACO Consults Experts on AIDS Mortality Estimates

July 25, 2005

July 20, New Delhi: A high level meeting of experts was held in New

Delhi today to work out a method for arriving at a national figure

for AIDS related mortality. The meeting was convened by the National

AIDS Control Organization (NACO) in collaboration with the Regional

Support Team of UNAIDS, Bangkok and the UNAIDS and WHO country

offices. Leading experts from the Indian Council for Medical

Research (ICMR) and other academic institutions participated in the

consultation.

Estimates of AIDS related deaths in India have lately generated

considerable interest, both in the country as well as abroad.

" India has a robust estimate of its HIV burden, which has earned

international respect for a transparent and scientific estimation

process. However the absence of mortality figures has been a void in

the system, " said Dr. S.Y. Quraishi, Director General, National AIDS

Control Organisation.

India has a large number of persons living with HIV but has not yet

arrived at a consensus on the numbers of mortality due to AIDS.

Highlighting the significance of a national mortality figure on

AIDS, Mr. JVR Prasada Rao, Director, Regional Support Team, UNAIDS,

Bangkok said, " The estimation of mortality in India due to HIV/AIDS

is extremely important for the development and planning process to

reduce the impact of AIDS on poverty. "

As a follow up to the meeting it was decided that a Mortality

Estimation Group chaired by Dr. SY Quraishi, and Prof. N.K. Ganguly,

Director General, ICMR shall be formed. The two will shortly

nominate a Technical Group on Mortality Estimation led by an Indian

scientist of international repute. Dr. Quraishi said that the

Technical Group will hold its first meeting in August. UNAIDS and

WHO will continue to provide technical assistance in this area.

_________________________________

For more information, please contact Dr. SY Quraishi, Director

General, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) tel. 23325331 and

Dr. Denis Broun, Country Coordinator, UNAIDS India, Email

bround@..., Tel. 24649892. For more information on UNAIDS, please visit

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