With nearly 2.4 million HIV positive Indians, the country, quite clearly, is still battling the disease and trying to increase awareness among the high-risk groups and the general public.
With nearly 2.4 million HIV positive Indians, the country, quite clearly, is still battling the disease and trying to increase awareness among the high-risk groups and the general public.
But with augmenting developments, while treatments seem closer to reality, prevention could still be considered a cause of concern- particularly in a society still oscillating between denial and ignorance. (AFP Photo)
23 years after the first HIV case was identified in Chennai in 1986, AIDS is very much a reality. Having killed millions over the years, the disease urges us to come out of our safety shells and start becoming more aware. (AFP Photo)
In a country with a population of over a billion, and more than half of them in the sexually active group, sex is still considered taboo.
According to UNAIDS statistics, an estimated 33.4 million people are living with HIV. Among these 2.5 million are children. In this file picture taken in 2004, 4-year-old AIDS-infected girl Bhubana watches the camera as she sits in an orphanage for HIV-positive children run by the Indian NGO Community Health Education Society (CHES. (AFP Photo)
In India approx 25 lakh people are currently living with HIV. The worst affected states are Maharashtra, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Indian students and youths hold placards and shout slogans during a procession held to mark World AIDS Day in New Delhi. (AFP Photo)
In a positive sign of change, awareness among youth is increasing with a surge in campaigns and advertisements promoting safe sex. More than half of the infected people are in the prime of their youth. Statistics also point out that they do not survive beyond 10 years after diagnosis. (NDTV Photo)
It's better to be safe than sorry- that's the slogan for most campaigns aimed at increasing awareness about the spread of the disease- be it through drug injections or unprotected sex. (AFP Photo)
In one of the largest ever gatherings of HIV positive people in New Delhi between December 9-11, 2009, HIV+ people from 14 states across the country came together to share their experiences of getting Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) and the challenges faced in accessing medical care and other services. (NDTV Photo)
Recommendations were made to improve the current availability of services for care and treatment of HIV positive people, by about 350 infected men and women participating in the Population Foundation of India's (PFI) first ever ‘National Consultation on Promoting Access to Care and Treatment' under its Global Fund programme. (NDTV Photo)
One of the participants Kousalya from Tamil Nadu has been HIV+ since 1995. According to her she got it through her husband who is no more. The past 14 years she has been fighting the stigma and feels that the world and approach towards HIV has definitely changed but even now there exists a gap, which needs to be filled.
"When people get to know about a HIV+ person, they point a finger at the person's character. This is wrong.. there are many other ways through which a person can become HIV+". (NDTV Photo)
Seema Mathai from Mangalore had to go through mental trauma when she realised she was HIV+, more because of the stigma attached to the virus.
"It is very important to be mentally strong and to realise that it is just a virus in the body and a person can have a completely normal life by just following a certain precautions." (NDTV Photo)
Dev Raj from Karnataka had lost all hope, had it not been for the other HIV+ people that he came across while attending these sessions. He now looks forward to a healthy life and says that you should not lose hope and be positive. (NDTV Photo)
Manish Kumar Sharma who hails from Ujjain found out about his HIV+ status five years ago. After his experience of witnessing two young women dying due to lack of medication, he single handedly started a network of HIV+ people. The network first started in Indore and has now spread to 22 states across the country. (NDTV Photo)
Speaking to NDTV, Dr Mary Verghese, Project Director, PFI said the whole idea to have this conference was to make HIV+ people come forward and make their needs known. (NDTV Photo)
KK Abraham, General Secretary, Indian Network for People Living with HIV said one of the biggest problems he faced in his field of work is removing the myth and self stigma attached to HIV. (NDTV Photo)
In July this year, the Delhi High Court decriminalised gay sex, a move that rights activists said would help India combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and encourage those affected by it to come forward and seek treatment and information. (AFP Photo)
The Supreme Court recently suggested legalising prostitution as a solution to the rampant sex trade that has flourished despite a raft of laws.
The govt estimates that between two million to 3.1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and the spread of the illness has been in part due to unsafe sexual practices. (AFP Photo)
The red ribbon was introduced as a symbol of AIDS unity in early 90s. Today it stands for more than just that, essaying dedicated support for the cause.
Seen here is an AIDS-awareness sand sculpture created by artist Sudarshan Pattnaik ahead of World Aids day at Golden Sea beach in Puri. (AFP Photo)
The numbers of countries that offer protection for people with HIV has grown manifold, yet nearly one third of countries are still inadequately protected and worse, are plagued by stigma and discrimination.
HIV services need to be improved for those on drugs, sex workers, women and adolescents adopting a priority-based approach. (AFP Photo)
But there is still a huge gap in the ratio of number of patients who get access to HIV treatment versus the huge number of new infections.
The govt estimates that between two million and 3.1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and the spread of the illness has been in part due to unsafe sexual practices among truckers who contract the virus after sex with prostitutes.
A truck driver is seen here reading a leaflet about AIDS as he rests under a truck alongside the National Highway 44 on the outskirts of Agartala. (AFP Photo)
With the World Health Organisation proclaiming the development of more powerful drugs and enhanced prevention programmes that have helped lower new HIV infections, it's imperative that each one of us keeps up the momentum to spread awareness and stop stigma and blame to check the spread of HIV/AIDS. (NDTV Photo)
