In the journey towards ending HIV/AIDS goals, one of the earlier milestones has to be elimination of parent to child transmission of HIV, N. Kumarasamy, chief and director, VHS Infectious Diseases Medical Centre, Voluntary Health Services and Secretary General, AIDS Society of India, said.
In a press release to mark World AIDS Day on December 1, he said that India, despite making progress towards eliminating parent to child transmission of HIV, is yet to achieve the goal. Coverage of pregnant women who receive medicines to prevent HIV transmission to the unborn child - during pregnancy or breastfeeding - is 64%. Vertical transmission rate including during breastfeeding is 24.3%.
“This is another missed opportunity which we truly cannot afford to ignore if we are to end AIDS in the next 96 months (by 2030), rather we should completely eliminate parent to child transmission of HIV as early as possible,” he said.
He added that data-backed science has long raised the alarm on low coverage of HIV services among those who are most at risk, such as the key populations. “Needless to say, we have to scale up HIV response especially for those who are at relatively higher risk,” he said.
He pointed out that while the overall HIV prevalence in adults in India is 0.24%, HIV prevalence in sex workers is 1.9%, in gay men and other men who have sex with men, it is 3.3%. In transgender people, it is 3.85%, and in people who inject drugs, it is nine per cent.
If current trends continue, more than 1.2 million people will be newly infected with HIV in 2025, three times more than the pre-set target of 3,70,000 new infections by 2025, he noted.
He pointed to the country’s proven capacity to manufacture HIV diagnostics, medicines and robust supply chain mechanisms to deliver them worldwide sustainably. “But are HIV programmes worldwide strong enough to ensure that HIV prevention, diagnostics, treatment, care and support services are reaching every person in need - without any further delay? We know how to prevent HIV. diagnose HIV, treat, care, support people living with HIV and let us use them to end AIDS,” he said.
