CHILD Protection & Rights > Protection Issues > Protecting Hiv/Aids Affected Children From Vulnerability And Discrimination

4. Situation in India

Facts and figures

HIV emerged later in India than it did in many other countries. Infection rates increased in the 1990s, and today the epidemic affects all sectors of Indian society, not just the most vulnerable groups - such as sex workers or migrant workers - with which it was originally associated.

Nationally, more men are HIV positive than women. The prevalence rate is 0.43% for adult males while it is 0.29% for females. For every 100 people living with HIV/ AIDS, 61 are men and 39 women. Prevalence is also high in the 15-49 age group (88.7% of all infections).

About 70% of HIV cases are located in four of the industrialized western and southern states of India - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu - and in the north-eastern states of Manipur and Nagaland .

In the North-east of India , HIV transmission is concentrated mainly among drug injectors and their sexual partners, especially in the states of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, all of which located near the drug-trafficking 'Golden Triangle' zone. Some 20% of female sex workers said they injected drugs, according to behavioural surveillance. In other North-eastern states, about half as many sex workers have reported injecting drugs.

A high illiteracy rate and the unavailability of good health infrastructure, especially in rural areas, contribute to the spread of HIV as well as p overty combined with low status of women that do not allow a vast majority of them to negotiate safe sex, and thus make them vulnerable to the disease. Like in many other developing countries, migration and mobility from economically backward to more advanced regions contribute also to the dissemination of the disease. Children without any parental care, child labourers or children victims of trafficking are especially vulnerable.

Government and non government's initiatives:

Various public platforms are used to raise awareness of the epidemic - concerts, radio dramas, a voluntary blood donation day and TV spots. Messages are also conveyed to young people through schools by teachers trained to teach about the subject; and to students through active learning sessions, including debates and role-playing. Although some initiatives of HIV/AIDS prevention and education can be done at the national level, the fact that hundreds of different languages and dialects are spoken within the Indian population make necessary to carry out numerous actions at the state and local level.

The Indian Government has implemented various programmes and amended rules regarding blood safety. The first program established was the National AIDS Control Program (NACP). Over the time, the government has established a decentralized mechanism to facilitate effective state-level responses to HIV prevention programmes, through NACP I, II and III.

The NACP III (2007-2012) includes a complex consultative process. State specific and nationwide consultations were held with national stakeholders, local and international NGOs, experts and practitioners of HIV control initiatives, as well as international development partners. T he overall goal of this program is to halt and reverse the epidemic in India over the next five years by integrating programmes for prevention, care, support and treatment, It aims at:

- Preventing new infections in high-risk groups and general population;

- Providing greater care, support and treatment;

- Strengthening the infrastructure systems and human resources in prevention, care, support and treatment programmes at the district, state and national level;

- Strengthening the nationwide Strategic Information Management System.

The specific objectives of NACP-III are to reduce the estimated new infections:

- By 60 percent in the first year of the programme in high-prevelance states, so as to obtain reversal of the epidemic.

- By 40 percent in the vulnerable states so as to stabilize the HIV epidemic.

- The total proposed financial requirement of Rs 11,585 crore including budgeting and extra budgetary support.

Additionally, the government has given priority to three categories for intial outreach: 1) the HIV positive women who access government antinatal clinics, 2) children up to 15 years of age and 3) adults with full blown AIDS who access government hospitals for care and treatment.

Other measures developed in India are interesting to fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Various awareness initiatives have been developed such as: mass campaigns and rallies for awareness, workshops, lectures, advertising and publication of articles, TV spots, distribution of flyers.

Availability of good quality condoms through social marketing has made a significant increase in the last three years.

Research has been promoted to develop anti-retroviral treatment. As Indian-manufactured generic drugs entered the market and costs of anti-retroviral treatment registered a decline, the government decided to provide free anti-retroviral treatment. From April 1, 2004, anti-retroviral treatment is being provided free of cost at government hospitals in six high prevalence states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnakata, Manipur, Nagaland and Delhi.

India receives technical assistance and funding from a variety of UN partners and bilateral donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAIDS), the Canadian International development Agency (CIDA), and the United-Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) have been involved since the early 1990s at the state level in a number of states. Some other donors include the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), the Swedish Cooperation Development Agency (SIDA), the Clinton Foundation, the Gates Foundation and the European Union.

T here is also a lager number of NGOs working on HIV/AIDS issues at the local, state, and national levels. Projects include targeted interventions with high-risk groups; direct care of people living with HIV/AIDS; general awareness campaigns; and care for children orphaned by AIDS. Funding comes from local contributors, international donors as well as state and central governments.

For more Information about HIV in India , go to: http://www.avert.org/aidsindia.htm or to: http://www.youandaids.org/Asia%20Pacific%20at%20a%20Glance/India/index.asp