HIV and AIDS

HIV/AIDS:

Origin:

Together, we can make HIV/AIDS 

a page in our history books

According to “Cut Hunter Theory”, it is believed that the origin of HIV drives from some natural evolutionary event. However, recent research holds that origin of HIV/AIDS could never have happened in this way. US Government’s chief DNA sequence analyst at the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Maxico Dr. Gerald Myers reported that genetic sequencing studies prove some "punctuated origin of AIDS event" took place during the mid-1970s giving rise, virtually simultaneously, to at least ten different HIV "clades" (or genetic subtypes) associated with ten different distinguishable AIDS epidemics in Africa alone.

HIV/AIDS: Worldwide& India

The latest statistics of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic was published by UNAIDS, WHO and UNICEF in November 2011, it is estimated that there 34 million people living with HIV/AIDS. People infectedin 2010 with HIV were 2.7 million. On the other hand, 1.8 million deaths occurred due to AIDS in the same year. According to the WHO Progress Report on HIV/AIDS in South-East Asia 2011, an estimated 3.5 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2010, including 140,000 children. Women accounted for 37 percent of this population.

History of HIV in India

The presence of HIV infection was first detected in India in 1986, when Dr Jacob John and DrSuniti Solomon identified 10 HIV positive samples out of a group of 102 female sex workers from Chennai. At this time it was believed that India had little to fear from a disease that was then believed to spread primarily through sex between men, through injecting drug use and through multi-partner heterosexual sex. It was felt that this country saw very little of these risk behaviours.But these were facts were just the tip of an iceberg.When today we look at the whopping numbers of HIV/AIDS infected people be it adult male,female or children nobody could have imagined the exponential growth of this deadly infection.Today , India is the third largest country having maximum number of people living with HIV/AIDS.

The total number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in India is estimated at 24 lakh (19.3 – 30.4) in 2009. Children (<15 yrs) account for 3.5% of all infections, while 83% are the in age group 15-49 years. Of all HIV infections, 39% (9.3 lakh) are among women. The four high prevalence states of South India (Andhra Pradesh – 5 lakh, Maharashtra – 4.2 lakh, Karnataka – 2.5 lakh, Tamil Nadu – 1.5 lakh) account for 55% of all HIV infections in the country. West Bengal, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are estimated to have more than 1 lakh PLHA each and together account for another 22% of HIV infections in India. The states of Punjab, Orissa, Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh have 50,000 – 1 lakh HIV infections each and together account for another 12% of HIV infections. These states, in spite of low HIV prevalence, have large number of PLHA due to the large population size.

The Call

The time has arrived when we step up and break the age old taboo’s. The new initiative by NACP has worked considerably in reducing the infection by 50% in the last decade.The HIV estimates 2008-09 highlight an overall reduction in adult HIV prevalence and HIV incidence (new infections) in India. Adult HIV prevalence at national level has declined from 0.41% in 2000 to 0.31% in 2009, although variations exist across the states. The estimated number of new annual HIV infections has declined by more than 50% over the past decade.

India’s response to the HIV epidemic and the broad social mobilisation of stakeholders has achieved significant results in controlling the HIV epidemic. The achievements warrant the need for further commitment and coordinated joint action that is guided by the best available scientific evidence and technical knowledge. We need to renew our commitment to adapt and strengthen HIV prevention strategies. Close engagement with civil society and people living with and affected by HIV will prevent new infections and produce measurable impacts. We need also to protect people most affected, and promote human and gender rights. For this, India is working towards a comprehensive response to AIDS that unifies forces of stakeholders and integrates HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.”

  So let us take the 3 pledges:

1.We will support the prevention of HIV/AIDS in all possible ways

2.We will not discriminate people living with HIV/AIDS

3.We will give them equal rights in education, work place and in our society.