India: India still under siege of AIDS epidemic

[Guest guest]

India: India still under siege of AIDS epidemic

Saturday, August 16, 2008, (Mexico City)

India's claim that its HIV/AIDS epidemic has stabilised was questioned by

leading epidemiologists at the 17th International AIDS conference in Mexico

City.

Experts say that evidence shows that new high risk communities have emerged who

may give a completely different picture to the epidemic.

Migrant workers, men who have sex with men and transgender - form the new face

of India's AIDS epidemic.

Epidemiologists tracking the disease say emerging data shows that these high

risk groups, who are beyond the government's radar, can derail the country's

fight against the disease.

Dr Geoffrey P Garnett, professor at Imperial College, UK said, " It is wrong to

believe that the epidemic has stabilised. What has happened is that new

infections equal deaths, so it seems that the numbers have plateaued. "

Epidemiologists say the contours of the epidemic isn't clear so far.

Though the data shows that it is still concentrated among certain groups like

sex workers and intravenous drug users, infection rates among vulnerable groups

like migrant labourers, especially women and men who have sex with men have not

been mapped yet.

The government admits there is little data so far on these groups since they are

largely invisible and difficult to access.

But given the daunting numbers - 22 million men are believed to have sex with

men - the government needs to move fast if the epidemic is to be contained.

http://www.drugpolicycentral.com/bot/article/ndtv7443.htm