India at critical stage in fight against HIV/AIDS: CSIS

[Guest guest]

India at critical stage in fight against HIV/AIDS: CSIS

Washington, May 1 (PTI):India is at a " critical " stage in its fight

against HIV/AIDS and requires decisive action now to prevent the

disease from turning into a catastrophic pandemic, a leading

American think tank has said.

In a report titled " Strategy for the Second Wave: Learning from

India's Experience with HIV/AIDS, " the Center for Strategic and

International Studies (CSIS) points to the steady rise in HIV/AIDS

cases in India -- 5.1 million cases of infection at the end of 2003,

up from 4.58 million a year earlier.

India, CSIS noted, is home to the second largest number of HIV-

infected people in the world, and " some would argue that it actually

has the largest population of infected people. "

The HIV/AIDS epidemic, it said, has moved into the general

population in several parts of the country.

An effective response to the epidemic " must be massive and

comprehensive, " the report said, adding its essential ingredients

include widespread behavioural change, massive resource

mobilisation, and a focused drive by both government and private

sectors to provide prevention and treatment services.

" This, " it conceded, " is a tall order. India's leaders face the

tremendous challenge of doing all these things at a time when the

HIV/AIDS problem has not yet become a clear crisis in their

societies. "

However, " to avert a catastrophe, they need to act before the force

of the catastrophe makes its presence felt in their politics,

society and government. "

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200505010301.htm?

headline=India~at~critical~stage~in~fight~against~HIV/AIDS:~_CSIS

___________________________________________

The report is available on the following url: Moderator

www.csis.org/saprog/0411_aids_india.pdf