Date:06/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/06/stories/2006040614010500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Incidence of HIV cases on the decline in southern States

Special Correspondent

`While 7.70 lakh people in India needed ARV treatment, less than 40,000 might be actually receiving it'

Bangalore: There is good news but, "the battle is far from over,'' said Suzanne Crowe, Head, AIDS Clinical Research Programme, Macfarlane Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia, here on Wednesday.

Speaking to health workers and non-governmental organisations working with HIV/AIDS affected people at an interactive session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Karnataka, Prof. Crowe, who is a member of the Australia-India Council, said recent surveys showed that the incidence of HIV cases had come down in the southern States though the picture was hazy in the north.

"The number of persons tested positive among vulnerable age groups shows a decline and more sex workers are found using condoms. But we cannot be complacent, most infected persons still depend on private hospitals and doctors have to be trained on the use of the latest anti retro viral (ARV) drugs and the combination of medications to be given,'' she said.

Australia had tried out many combinations of drugs as they were developed since that country began dealing with HIV/AIDS from the 1980s, Prof. Crowe said.

The positive side of the newer drugs was that many had been developed by pharmacy companies in India and the cost of treatment here was much less than in Africa or Thailand. The flipside was that while 7.70 lakh people in India needed ARV treatment, less than 40,000 might be actually receiving it, Prof. Crowe added.

Australia, in association with the CII, had training programmes for Indian doctors and other health workers in several cities, including Bangalore. These doctors in turn train other doctors in small towns and rural areas. Medication and their administration, counselling and confidentiality issues were also discussed during sessions with doctors.

S. Viswanathan, Member, CII Karnataka State Council, said the CII set up the India Business Trust in 2002 to bring focus on HIV/AIDS-related work.

Since then, the number of affected persons in the country went up to 5 million, and is second only to South Africa, he added.

"The cost of treatment is still lower in India. But we are among the eight countries in the world spending 1 per cent or less of the GDP on public health care. Another related issue is malnutrition that affects a large number of children whose mental growth is arrested'' he said.