The 2006 estimates released recently by the Indian National AIDS Control Organisation, supported by UNAIDS and WHO, indicate that an estimated 2 million to 3.1 million people are living with HIV in the India.
These estimates are more accurate than those of previous years, as they are based on an expanded surveillance system and a revised and enhanced methodology.
The methodology adopted use of multiple data sources including National Family Health Survey ? 3.
The new methods developed for the revised estimates have also been used to ?back-calculate? the prevalence for years since 2002 based on the new set of assumptions and measures. These figures allow a fair comparison of year-on-year trends in HIV prevalence. They show an epidemic that is stable over time with marginal decline in 2006.
Government of India has lunched National AIDS Control Programme phase-III, with the goal to halt and reverse the epidemic in the country over the next 5 years by integrating programmes for prevention, care, support and treatment. This will be achieved through a four-pronged strategy:
1. Prevention of new infections in high-risk groups and general population.
2. Providing greater care, support and treatment to larger number of PLHA.
3. Strengthening the infrastructure, systems and human resources in prevention, care, support and treatment programmes at the district, state and national level.
4. Strengthening the nationwide Strategic Information Management System.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Smt. Panabaka Lakshmi in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, India.