PM Calls on Indian Industry to Assit Fight Aganist HIV/AIDS

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Indian Prime Minister Calls on Businesses to Assist Fight Against

HIV/AIDS

Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee today in New Delhi launched the

Industry Business Trust for HIV/AIDS, an organization formed by the

Confederation of Indian Industry, in an effort to have businesses

help " minimize the economic and social fallout of the HIV/AIDS

epidemic, " the Hindu reports. HIV has infected nearly four million

Indians, hitting the " economically productive " group of 15- to 49-

year-olds hardest and leading to reduced earnings, declining

productivity and loss of job skill and experience.

The epidemic is spreading rapidly in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra

Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur and Meghalaya, many of

which are " also among the most industrialized and economically

advanced, " Vajpayee said. He added that " rgent action " is needed

to " minimize " the effect on the labor force and the general

population (Hindu, 9/19).

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