157% jump in new HIV infections in 2005

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India HIV infections jump but still below epidemic status: report

India will report a 157 percent jump in new HIV infections in 2005, pushing the

total number of sufferers to over 5.2 million, a newspaper said.

But the number of people living with HIV/AIDS, which was up from the previous

year's 5.13 million cases, remains below South Africa's 5.3 million, the Indian

Express said.

The paper said it was quoting a National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) report

due out next week.

The 72,000 new infections in 2005 was up from 28,000 in 2004, the paper said.

But it still was far below the 520,000 new infections reported in 2003 by the

government body.

Last year's figures showing a 95 percent fall in new infections were sharply

condemned as unrealistic by AIDS groups. Government officials said the fall was

due to a change in the method of compiling the figures.

A study by the British medical journal The Lancet last month suggested a sharp

slowdown in the rate of new infections in India's high-prevalence southern

states.

The latest reported government figures showed the southern state of Andhra

Pradesh still had the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS with two

percent of the population affected. But that was down from 2.25 percent in 2004.

However, the infection rate in India's wealthiest state, Maharashtra -- home to

the financial hub Mumbai -- rose to 1.25 percent from 1.12 percent.

In the AIDS-hit northeast, Nagaland had a 1.63 percent prevalance rate, up from

1.43 percent in 2004. But the infection rate in the tiny state of Manipur fell

to 1.25 percent from 1.50 percent.

The newspaper said NACO had singled out the northeastern state of Mizoram with

an 0.88 percent infection rate, the eastern state of Orissa with 0.25 percent

and West Bengal with 0.66 percent as " the slow and silent pockets of the

epidemic and the states to watch out for. "

There was no immediate comment from NACO on Thursday, a public holiday.

In some populous and poverty-ridden states, such as northern Uttar Pradesh and

eastern Bihar, lack of data poses a problem, the paper said. NACO had decided to

estimate HIV prevalence in those areas at 0.17 percent.

Nationwide, out of those infected, 60.3 percent were male, 38.4 percent female

and just under one percent children. The majority of infections were in the

22-45 age group.

AIDS campaigners say the government must battle much harder against the disease.

They warn of widespread under-reporting of HIV infections due to social stigma,

lack of treatment and ignorance.

There are only around 700 voluntary testing centers across India. NACO wants to

see 24,000 by 2010. — AFP

Source: http://www.todayonline.com/articles/111307.asp#

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