Is India aiding AIDS?
 Today is the thirteenth World Aids Day. World Aids Day is the only international day of coordinated action against AIDS. This aims to open channels of communication, strengthen the exchange of information and experience, and forge a spirit of social tolerance. The World Health Assembly, the United Nations system, governments, communities and individuals around the world have been supporting this venture.
Up to men this time
The theme for this year is 2000: "AIDS: Men make a difference". The World AIDS Campaign now starts early each year and culminates on World AIDS Day on December 1st. The Red Ribbon is an international symbol of AIDS awareness that is worn by people all year round and particularly around world AIDS day to demonstrate care and concern about HIV and AIDS, and to remind others.
The first shock
The first cases of AIDS occurred in the USA in 1981. A plasma sample taken in 1959 from an adult male living in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo contained the HIV Virus. Other scientists have suggested that it could have been even longer, perhaps around 100 years or more ago.
India tops in AIDS
There are a number of factors that may have led to the sudden spread including international travel, the blood industry, and widespread drug use. India has more AIDS and HIV-infected cases than any other country in the world. The trend is alarming with an estimated 2 to 5 million people infected with HIV. Around 50,000 to 100,000 cases of AIDS may have already occurred in the country.
Tamil Nadu and Bombay top the most rapid and well documented spread of HIV states in India.
Contrary to traditional belief, sexually transmitted diseases and sex with multiple partners are common in the country, both in urban and rural areas. An estimated 3 to 4 percent of some rural populations have a sexually transmitted disease.
Beware truck drivers
The high-risk population segments are sex workers and their clients, truck drivers, homosexuals, and injection drug users. An estimated 12 per cent of infections come from blood transfusions. Surveys show that 5 to 10 percent of some truck drivers in the country are infected with HIV.
Even using the conservative estimate of infections, 5 million by end 1998, and doubling every 3 years, there will be 100 million Indians infected by year 2010 if not sooner. This is one in every ten. Thus, on average, one in every nuclear family of brothers and sisters and their children will be HIV positive.
AIDS epidemic
UNICOM has warned that an AIDS epidemic could break out in India in early 21st century. The worst projection is that India will have between 20 million to 50 million AIDS and HIV-infected people by the dawn of the 21st century. An average of 800 new cases are believed to be occurring in Mumbai everyday. As much as 52 per cent of sex workers in Mumbai had been infected by 1994.
Unlike the common cold, AIDS can be avoided in most cases if one decides to avoid it.
…………………………………………..AIDS IN INDIA (Kinds of transmission and percentage)
|
Heterosexual-promiscuous
|
2501
|
72.3
|
|
Blood Transfusion
|
228
|
6.6
|
|
Blood Product Infusion
|
34
|
1
|
|
Homosexual Contact
|
26
|
0.8
|
|
Spouse of AIDS Patient/sero-positive
|
46
|
1.3
|
|
Intravenous Drug Addicts
|
319
|
9.2
|
|
Others
|
304
|
8.8
|
|
Total
|
3458
|
100
|
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for UNAIDS poster
Reena Salil
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