Anbumani disagrees with AIDS figures

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Anbumani disagrees with AIDS figures

Special Correspondent

U.N. report says India had 5.7 million infected people in 2005

NEW DELHI: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister A. Ramadoss said

on Wednesday he disagreed with the biennial UNAIDS report that said

India had an estimated 5.7 million people infected with HIV/AIDS in

2005, overtaking South Africa where the number stood at 5.5 million.

" The surveillance study conducted by the National AIDS Control

Organisation (NACO) last year, in which UNAIDS had also

participated, had put the figures of HIV/AIDS infected people at

5.206 million, " Mr. Ramadoss told reporters at a function here on

Wednesday to mark the `World No Tobacco Day.' " I am surprised over

the figures. Obviously 5.7 million is not the correct number. How

can UNAIDS go back on its own figures, " he said.

The UNAIDS report on " Global AIDS Epidemic " released in Geneva on

Tuesday said most infections had been caused by unprotected

heterosexual intercourse.

It also estimated that only 7 per cent of Indians who needed anti-

retroviral drug therapy actually got it last year.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/01/stories/2006060101371500.htm