New Delhi, Aug 13 (IBNS): Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad Monday said HIV infections have declined by 56% during the last decade from 2.7 lakh in 2000 to 1.2 lakh in 2009.
At the International HIV Vaccine Symposium here, addressing the inaugural ceremony, Azad said, "HIV was detected in India over 25 years ago. Valuable knowledge and experience has been accumulated as a result of extensive interventions for control of the epidemic and it seems to be stabilizing now. India is among the few countries which have made significant reductions in HIV infections."
He said that the national response to HIV/AIDS in India is implemented through the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and “Prevention and Care” as well as “Support & Treatment” form the two key pillars of all HIV/AIDS control efforts in India.
The minister also added, "This strategy has yielded encouraging outcomes over the last decade. New evidence from the latest round of HIV Sentinel Surveillance shows further decline in the HIV Prevalence among general population as well as high risk groups."
"This has been possible due to political support at the highest levels to the various interventions under National AIDS Control Programme, including from Parliamentarians and elected leaders at the State and Local Levels and cooperation received from NGOs, civil society and the Media."
According to him, one of the successful interventions of the national AIDS control programme has been the Targeted Interventions (TIs), whose main objective is to improve health seeking behavior of high risk groups and reducing their vulnerability and risk to acquire Sexually Transmitted and HIV infections.
There are 1,821 Targeted Interventions providing prevention services covering 81% Female Sex Workers, 80% Injecting Drug Users, 64% Men having sex with Men, 40% Migrants and 57% Truckers.
Azad said that the trend of annual AIDS- related deaths is showing a steady decline since the roll out of free ART programme in India in 2004.
Besides the domestic programme, India has been providing around 80% of global ARV drug demand. Vaccines have been frequently cited as one of the most equitable low-cost, high-impact public health measures.
Azad said that India is committed to new forms of partnership with low-income countries through innovative support mechanisms and South–South cooperation. He hoped that this joint venture will collectively shape the future of India’s inputs into the global HIV vaccine development attempts.
