Re: India alarm over HIV in new areas

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Re: /message/7330

A personal reaction to the news article:

I really do not understand this sudden ‘alarm’ in the health officials regarding

prevalence rates in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as if it has come as a big surprise.

The epidemic in Bihar was always threatening to spin out of control. The

vulnerability factors were always known, the socio-political situation was a

given.

The issue is there was always a lack of will and drive at all levels to push and

persist against these odds. The national AIDS programming and the donor funding

has always been skewed towards high prevalence regions. The special will and

attention required in keeping a low prevalence state where it is, when one is up

against a prevalent low risk perception, has no where been near the levels

required.

It takes a lot of advocacy, time, energy, persistence to get a point across in

these states. It can be extremely frustrating and de-motivating at times for

persons working in these states. But there is no option but to persist.

It is not enough to say that migrants are coming back infected from Surat,

Mumbai etc, the issue is what has been done to inform and equip these vast

numbers of predominantly male population before they migrate out.

It will probably take more effort to keep a low prevalence state low than

reverting the epidemic in high prevalence states.

Vandana Nair

e-mail: <nair_vandana@...>