| REVIEW ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2007 | Volume
: 28
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1-5 |
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Overview of HIV/AIDS in India
YS Marfatia, Archana Sharma, Megha Modi
Department of Skin and VD, Medical College and SSG Hospital, Vadodara, India
Correspondence Address:
Y S Marfatia
Department of Skin and VD, Medical College and SSG Hospital, Vadodara
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0253-7184.35702
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Globally there are 40 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). According to latest estimates based on National Family Health Survey (NFHS), released by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), the National adult HIV prevalence in India is approximately 0.36% which corresponds to an estimated 2 to 3.1 million people living with HIV in the country. The new lower estimates are due to difference in surveillance method and do not mean a sharp decline in the epidemic. HIV prevalence has begun to decline in Tamil Nadu and other southern states with high HIV burden. There has been feminization of epidemic with an estimated 38.4% of infected adults being female. Eighty-six percent of the Indian population is unaware of their HIV status with only 57% population being aware of the preventive methods.
There are more than 4000 integrated counseling and testing centers (ICTCs) in the country. About 80,000 patients are accessing free antiretroviral treatment (ART) in 127 centers. PPTCT program has been scaled up in the county with Nevirapine as the regimen of choice. It has an efficacy rate of 48% in prevention of HIV transmission in the mother baby pair; there are chances of increased drug-resistance to ART in mothers who were treated with prophylactic single-dose Nevirapine.
These patients face a lot of stigma and discrimination. A 2006 study found that 25% of people living with HIV in India had been refused medical treatment on the basis of their HIV-positive status. |
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