Govt 'surprised' over UNAIDS report on India

New Delhi, May 31 (UNI) India today expressed ''surprise'' over the UNAIDS report stating that the country have the largest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the world and said that the report was incorrect.

''I am surprised at the UNAIDS report,'' health Minister Anbumoni Ramadoss told reporters when asked for the government's reaction to the UNAIDS' 2006 Report on Global AIDS Epidemic which stated that India has surpassed South Africa in having the largest number of HIV/AIDS cases. The UNAIDS report has stated that India had 5.7 million cases of HIV by the end of 2005 as against South Africa which had 5.5 million HIV positive persons..

However, Dr Ramdoss said the UNAIDS report was incorrect and India had only 5.208 million estimated HIV positive persons in 2005.

''The NACO has scientifically arrived at this number of 5.208 million on the basis of sentinel Surveillance sites in the country.

Even the WHO and UNAIDS had been associated with the process of data collection and approved of it. I don't know how they have arrived at this new number,'' Dr Ramdoss said.

Asked about the UNAIDS report that only 1.7 percent of HIV positive mothers are getting medicine to prevent mother to child transmission, the Health Minister said the programme was first started in 2002 and since then a lot of people have been covered under it.

He said providing Anti Retroviral Treatment programme was launched by the government in 2004 and it has been extended to many parts of the country.

''However, we can't cover everyone overnight,''he said.

He admitted that the number of increase in HIV positive persons in the country was alarming but said there was no need to panic.

Stating that the situation needs a lot of focus, he said recently many states like Tamil Nadu have shown that the HIV positive persons number has reached a plato and even declined.

However, high risk states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Orissa are a major cause of worry due to migrant population being a potential source of spread of the infection. The focus of various awareness programmes are youth.

Dr Ramdoss said the government was committed to prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and it has resulted in the surge in the awarenessa about the disease. The treatment programme has also come a long way. Integrated Testing and Counselling Centres are being set up in various parts of the country.

He said a National AIDS Council has been set up under the Chairmanship Prime Minister Manmohan Singh which shows the high level of commitment of the government.

UNI AJ MA VC1545