India's progress in HIV prevalence and mortality is noteworthy, but a lot needs to be done to meet the SDG commitment of ending the AIDS epidemic.
In 1986, India detected its first case of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). As we observe World AIDS Day on December 1, it is important to map out the progress in controlling HIV prevalence and what lies ahead.
According to the HIV Estimates Report 2019 of the government of India, there are about 23.49 lakh persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in India. The annual new HIV infections in India have come down by 37 per cent since 2010 and the AIDS mortality is estimated at 4.43 per 100,000 population.
Since the beginning of the National AIDS Control Program in 1992, India has taken many steps to raise awareness and bring down the number of infections.
It is apparent from the data that the prevalence, as well as the mortality, have come down after reaching their peak in the 2000s.
PLHIV still face a lot of stigma and discrimination in the country. According to the UNAIDS Report 2020, about 30 per cent of Indians in the age group of 15-49 years reported discriminatory behaviour towards PLHIV. It has a lot to do with the communities that bear the burden of HIV prevalence and the societal attitudes towards them.
In India, certain vulnerable groups like female sex workers, injecting drug users, transgender and queer people, and men who have sex with men are the most affected by HIV and AIDS. While the National AIDS Control Organisation spends most of its budget in testing, counselling, and antiretroviral therapy (ART), not enough is put towards sensitisation of the populace as well as the authorities.
The public health issue of AIDS requires a dedicated approach to implement preventive strategies instead of just curative ones.
The government of India passed the HIV & AIDS (Control and Prevention) Act 2017 but there are faultlines in its implementation. The coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for many to access health services. For PLHIV, access to ART facilities became a major concern amid lockdowns.
India, as a signatory of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, committed to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. It requires to put into practice strategies to eliminate new HIV infections among children and ending stigma and discrimination faced by PLHIV. India is on its way to progress on these targets but there is a long road ahead to meet all the goals.
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