HIV infections decline by 50% since 2000 in India: NACO

There is 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. The estimated  number of new annual HIV infections has declined by more than  50% over the past decade, as per latest data made available by  National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). The 2008-09 India HIV estimates—developed by NACO with support from  National Institute of Medical Sciences, National Institute of Health and  Family Welfare, UNAIDS and WHO — utilised improved methodology  and updated epidemiological data from the latest rounds of HIV  Sentinel Surveillance and other information on High Risk Groups for  more accurate understanding of the Indian epidemic. The estimates  were generated using Estimation Projection Package and Spectrum  Package, that had been customised using Indian data.  This methodology allows international comparison of the HIV estimates. The estimated adult HIV prevalence in India was 0.32%  in 2008 and 0.31% in 2009. It is 0.26% among women and  0.38% among men in 2008, and 0.25% and 0.36% in 2009.  Among the states, Manipur has shown the highest adult HIV  prevalence of 1.40%, followed by Andhra Pradesh (0.90%),  Mizoram (0.81%), Nagaland (0.78%), Karnataka (0.63%) and  Maharashtra (0.55%). Besides these states, Goa, Chandigarh,  Gujarat, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have shown 0.31%, while Delhi, Orissa,  West Bengal, Chhattisgarh & Puducherry have shown 0.28-0.30%. The adult HIV prevalence at national level has a steady decline from  estimated level of 0.41% in 2000 to 0.31% in 2009. All the high  prevalence states showed a declining trend in adult HIV prevalence.  However, the low prevalence states of Chandigarh, Orissa, Kerala,  Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh  and Meghalaya show rising trends in adult HIV prevalence in the  last four years. There is a stable decline among the young  population (15-24 yrs) in most of the states at national level,  but its rising Orissa, Assam, Chandigarh, Kerala, Jharkhand  and Meghalaya. The total number of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in  India is estimated at 24 lakh in 2009. Children (<15 yrs) account  for 3.5% of all infections, while 83% in the age group of 15-49 years. . Of all HIV infections, 39% are among women. The four high prevalence states of South India account for 55% of all HIV infections in the country. West Bengal, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are estimated to account for 22% of HIV infections in India and the states of Punjab, Orissa, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have 12% of HIV infections. This has confirmed the clear decline of HIV prevalence among female  sex workers at national levels and in most states. However, the  injecting drug users and men who have sex with men are more  vulnerable to HIV. Globally it is estimated about 1.72 lakh people died of AIDS in  2009 in India. The trend of annual AIDS deaths is showing a steady  decline since 2004. Inorder to achieve significant results we need  commitment and coordination against scientific evidence and  technical knowledge and NACP-III has achieved and gaining  focus on emerging areas of HIV concern in the low prevalence  states. Source:Pharmabiz