The country needs to do a lot of technological research to prevent HIV infection and for this, young scientists and researchers are required.
This was the underlying message stressed by speakers at the inaugural function of a third national science symposium on HIV/AIDS at Taramani here on Monday.
The two-day symposium ‘HIV Science 2010' is being organised by non governmental organisation YRG CARE. Delivering the keynote address, R.S. Paranjape, Director, National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune, said ethical practice is needed in the treatment of HIV infection. The efforts should be supported by research in the community and in the clinical field. He said the vaccines produced so far are not indigenous and new technological development needs research. “A critical mass of research in HIV has to be built. Symposiums such as these will bring capacity building and spur curiosity about HIV science,” Dr. Paranjape said.
Rajat Goyal, Country Director, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, New Delhi said more investment should be made and the money must be spent smartly to ensure that more people get treated. Shambhu Kallolikar, Project Director, Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society, emphasised the importance of collaborative research. S.P. Thyagarajan, Pro-Chancellor (Research), Sri Ramachandra University, released abstracts of the symposium. He said work in HIV infection has come this far because of contribution of various minds, but a lot more hard work is required. Suniti Solomon, Founder-Director, YRG Care, said the symposium aimed at stimulating young people to get into research on HIV.
