By December 2006, India will for the first time know the actual burden of HIV/AIDS in the country. The National Family Health Survey-III, designed to collect and provide vital information on population, family planning, maternal and child health, child survival, nutrition of children and status of women, is for the first time collecting random blood samples from 29 states, which after being tested will give an insight into India's actual burden of the disease.
It will reveal facts not known till now - how many men and women are HIV positive, whether urban or rural India carries most of the burden, which age group is worst affected by the virus and what is the actual prevalence of the disease in India's six most affected states - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Manipur.
At present, India uses estimates based on only the blood samples taken of anti-natal women who visit the 750 sentinel sites. NFHS on the other hand will be India's first community based survey of HIV/AIDS.
18 research institutes with the International Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai, acting as the nodal head, are conducting the survey that started in November 2005. Blood collection, which is being done in two phases - 12 states in the first phase and 17 states in the second phase - will be completed by August 1. Tabulation and analysis of the data will continue till December.
According to National AIDS Control Organisation DG, K Sujatha Rao, 1.5 lakh blood samples will be collected by August. Rao said: "NFHS-3 will be the largest bio-behavioural survey in the world where blood samples from the general population selected randomly are being tested for HIV. Following the results, we don't need to rely on assumptions. We will be close to the real picture of the disease in India.
Anonymity of the samples will be maintained. In general states, 1,000 male and female samples are being collected while in the six high prevalence states along with UP and Bihar, 6,000 male and female samples are being collected. The data will point which states are bearing most of the burden," scientists said.
According to NACO, besides NFHW-3, several additional steps are being taken to improve India's AIDS surveillance system. In 2006, 434 additional sentinel sites will be added to cover the entire geographical area of the country.
Another
survey, BSS-2006, is being conducted among 100,000 general population, 40,000
youth population and 25,000 high-risk population. Another Integrated Biological
Behavioural Analysis is also underway among high risk population covering 30,000
participants in 75 districts.
India reaffirms fullest commitment in fight against AIDS
Reaffirming its "fullest commitment" to the global fight against
HIV/AIDS, India has pledged to intensify efforts to fight stigma and discrimination
against victims and expand its prevention and treatment measures, especially for
women and girls.
"The soundness of India's strategy has been vindicated
with decisive downward trend witnessed in Tamil Nadu which had high incidence
of disease," Minister of State Oscar Fernandes said.
Addressing
the high-level United Nations General Assembly session on AIDS last night, he
told the delegates that India was close to finalising a law that aimed to provide
extensive protection to women, children and people living with AIDS. "We
believe that such a rights-based approach is necessary in our struggle against
HIV/AIDS," he said. India is a source of essential drugs for several countries
in the developing world, he added.
The Indian pharmaceutical companies
have been able to obtain US FDA approval for over 14 drugs, adding the country
is expanding access to treatment from the current level of 30,000 to 100,000 persons,
including 10,000 children.
"We are now involving the local self-government
at the village level through the elected representatives numbering three million
including one million women," he said.
Stating that India was making
"significant progress", he said "with prevention as the key, our
strategy focuses on expanding access to preventive services.
A Truckers’ Utsav was
organised recently in the Transport Nagar off National Highway 33 in Jamshedpur.
Given that over 6,000 condoms were distributed amongst the truckers, you may find
the celebration unusual. However, it is the usual affair here. This is one instance
when the anchor of the industrial township of Jamshedpur, Tata Steel, took the
responsibility to sensitise truck drivers and the allied population against the
growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS.
The initiative is run by Core Group–AIDS,
which has collaborated with Transport Corporation of India Foundation to set up
two Khushi clinics at Slag Road and Tata Motors South Gate under its Kavach project.
Later on, two more clinics were set up at Transport Nagar and Hot Strip Mill Gate.
With the help of NGOs and state-level agencies, Project Kavach plans
to hit National Highways 2 and 9 in the near future.
Health camps are
regularly organised at truck parking zones and mobile clinics at transporters’
offices for the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) among truck
drivers, helpers and allied population
Truckers’ Utsav and highway
awareness campaigns also stage cultural programmes, puppet shows, and nukkad nataks
to disseminate information. Apart from general health services, condom promotion
and referrals, intensive behaviour change communication through counselling is
also undertaken.
Says Dr H K Gardin, convenor, Core Group-AIDS, “Everyday
10-12 truck drivers visit the Khushi clinic for general ailments and STI consultations.
We charge the patients only for the cost of the medicines. Registration and consultative
services are absolutely free. There has been an immense change in the perception
and attitude of truck drivers. They are now more willing to walk in the clinics
and seek medical help for sexually transmitted diseases, the use of condoms and
other aspects.
