Request for more information on 2005-06 HIV household survey

[Guest guest]

Friends,

Recent new information on India's AIDS epidemic from a well-designed 2005-06

household survey shows fewer infections that had been estimated. That's good

news!

However, government has so far not fully reported findings from the survey. If

prevention is a priority, then it is important that the government fully report

findings from this survey -- which could help people to see and to reduce their

risks.

For HIV prevention to work, people have to take their own precautions. For this

they need to have accurate information about the various possible sources of

infections. They can then best decide how to take precautions that can prevent

them getting infected

through unsafe sex and through unsafe blood exposures.

In the survey, how many wives were HIV-positive with HIV-negative husbands? This

information would give some indication of the risk that women face to contract

HIV during health care. If people know these risks, they can do something about

them.

What are the rates of HIV prevalence in specific districts? Patients, dentists,

nurses, and others in those districts should be especially alert to risk to

transmit HIV through unsterile instruments.

People can do many things to protect themselves and their loved ones from HIV

infection. Government can help them to do so by fully reporting information from

the 2005-06 household survey.

Best regards,

Gisselquist

Mariette Correa

e-mail: <david_gisselquist@...>