HIV/AIDS spread declines in India; Church says more to be done

Figures released by the UN show a slight decline in the number of people living with HIV in India and worldwide. Thanks to the commitment and strenuous efforts undertaken by the Churches and Christian NGO's in the country to eradicate the deadly disease.

The church although welcomed the news warned there is still much to be done.

"We welcome any indication that fewer people are living with HIV, whether it is through more accurate statistics or because a strong response in some areas is making a positive impact," said Linda Hartke, coordinator of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance.

"But in no way can we relax our efforts. HIV remains a devastating disease not just for individuals, but for families, communities and nations," she said.

According to the latest figures revised by the UNAIDS and the World Health Organisation, there are approximately 2.5 million adults and children infected with HIV and about 2.1 million who lost their lives due to the illness in 2007.

Estimates by the UNAIDS show that the number of cases in India is 25 lakh as of this year as against 57 lakh earlier.

Numbers of people living with the virus were levelling out and the percentage of the population affected was now in decline, the report said.

Rev Dr Hielke Wolters, director of Justice, Diakonia and Responsibility for Creation for the World Council of Churches said he was encouraged that more accurate figures "will help the world to plan, mobilize resources and implement actions more effectively to overcome HIV."

"These reductions in estimates cannot lower our commitment and our focus to overcome this preventable and treatable disease," he added.

India's HIV prevalence figures in the general population dipped to .36% against .9%, making India the third worst affected country with the deadly disease after South Africa (5.5 million) and Nigeria (2.9 million).

Every day in 2007, more than 6,800 people were infected with HIV. Women made up half of those infected. Over 5,700 died from it everyday. An estimated 1.7 lakh people died of the disease in India alone last year.

"So many lives lost due to AIDS is really a concern. What's worse, over two–thirds of those infected in India don’t know they are HIV positive," said Dr Dennis Broun, UNAIDS chief in India.

The new report was released less than two weeks before World AIDS Day, which falls each year on Dec. 1. The theme this year is ”Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise – Leadership.”