HIV/AIDS cases on increase in AP: UN AIDS estimate

Hyderabad, Mar 7 (UNI) India accounts for 51 lakh of 4.2 crore people living with HIV/AIDS in the world, of which about five lakh people are in Andhra Pradesh.

In Andhra Pradesh, one of the six high prevalence states in the country, the inicidence has become a generalised epidemic as per the UNAIDS estimate.

This was revealed at a two-day workshop organised by the Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust in collaboration with the OXFAM GB and the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society(APSACS) here today.

Over 50 per cent of the new adult infections occurred in the age group of 15 to 24 years and 90 per cent of the infections were in the age group of 15 to 49 in Andhra Pradesh, where it was primarily hetrosexual driven epidemic with 90 per cent of the infections occurring through hetrosexual mode of transmission, APSACS Project Director Asok Kumar said, participating in the Workshop.

HIV infection rate among pregnant women tested at antenatal care clinics in the state in 2005 was well above one per cent in 22 out of 23 districts in the last three years, he revealed.

The workshop was organised to contribute to the national policy and plan for workplace interventions designed under the framework of the National AIDS Control Policy (NACP) III.

Speaking on the occasion, OXFAM GB Executive Rajiv Dua said the contribution of the private sector in checking the spread of the epidemic was noteworthy and it acted as a crucial link between government and civil society to strengthen India's course to further development.

''It is important to recognise and encourage efforts of the private sector and at the same time highlight gravity of epidemic among other stakeholders. There is a need for developing operational plan for translating this policy into action,'' he observed.

UNI