AIDS in India

The AIDS scenario in India has assumed dangerous proportions. Some projections
suggest that HIV infections in India will rise to almost 25% of global numbers.
The rise in HIV/AIDS infections demands priority in treatment accessibility,
affordability and availability in addition to preventive interventions. Ironically, in
the recently set-up Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, out of the US$ 600
million distributed, in the first round, India received nothing for its AIDS
projects. A visible structural socioeconomic impact is not very far. While adequate
steps to extend care to the PLWHA are urgently required, the need for providing
access to ART cannot be over-emphasised. Only a holistic, multi-sectoral approach,
using successful intervention strategies and an effective coordination between
NGOs and government along with community mobilisation can avert the crisis.
Peoples Health Organisation (India) has been among the first Indian NGOs,
spearheading the fight against AIDS since 1985 and is largely responsible for
bringing India on the AIDS Control Map of the world. PHO initiated networking
with NGOs in 1989 and had organized 'World Congress on AIDS' in Mumbai in 1990
with 624 delegates. PHO also initiated networking in Asia by establishing Asian
Solidarity Against AIDS (ASAA) in 1991 and organised five international workshops
in conjunction with mega-AIDS Conferences in Florence (1991), Amsterdam (1992),
Berlin(1993), Yokohama(1994) and Geneva(1998). Unfortunately since 1994, the
international conferences have become a biannual affair making the ASAA meets
infrequent. Secondly, most delegates attending these workshops were from India or
with an interest in India which resulted in India dominating the discussions. It was
an uphill task to get appropriate inputs from other Asian countries. Hence, starting
with Durban 2000, we decided to have the workshop exclusively on 'AIDS in INDIA'.
The socio-cultural diversity, a unique feature of India, presents a major challenge,
which is compounded by illiteracy(48%), poverty(GNP US$ 350), ignorance(more than
50% people are still unaware of HIV/AIDS) and a large population(one billion). With
the theme "UNITY IN DIVERSITY,TO FIGHT THE ADVERSITY, PHO has
organised the Workshop on 'AIDS in India' on 7th July, 2002 at Barcelona, as an
official satellite meet.
Dr. Stefano Vella br. I. S. Gilada
President Secretary General
International AIDS Society (IAS) Peoples Health Organisation (India)
Chairperson Chairperson
Objectives:
* To assess current HIV scenario in India, without getting bogged down with
unhealthy and unending debate on the jugglery of numbers
* To assess its impact on women and children and play an effective advocacy
role in PMTCT
* To discuss cost-effective intervention strategies
* To prioritise HIV management and access to care in India and discuss
'Patents vs Patients' issues
* To formulate strategies on ART, support services, rehabilitation of AIDS
widows & orphans