Public Health

India's National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) released new HIV/AIDS estimates for the country on July 6, 2007. These numbers are significantly lower than previous estimates of the epidemic's prevalence and are more accurate because they are based on an expanded surveillance and improved methodology. Both UNAIDS and the World Health Organization support these estimates. (UNAIDS press release)

As part of its continuing effort to know its epidemic better, the Indian Government, in 2006, included a segment on HIV/AIDS in the National Family Health Survey-3, a random survey based on the general population. Data from this exercise and from surveillance centers led to the new and lower estimates. Some highlights are:

Slight decline among general population

While overall, the HIV epidemic shows a stable trend in the recent years, there is variation between states and population groups. The good news is that in Tamil Nadu and other southern states with high HIV burden where effective interventions have been in place for several years, HIV prevalence has begun to decline or stabilize. New pockets of high prevalence of HIV continues to emerge in new areas with selected pockets of high prevalence in the northern states. There are 29 districts with high prevalence, particularly in the states of West Bengal, Orissa, Rajasthan and Bihar.

Continuing high prevalence among vulnerable groups

The 2006 data shows an increase in HIV infection among several high risk groups such as people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men (MSM). Metro cities of Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Chandigarh and states such as Orissa, Punjab, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala all show high prevalence among Injecting Drug Users. While data does suggest declining HIV prevalence levels among sex workers in the southern states, overall prevalence levels among this group continues to spiral upwards.

The new estimate for India puts it below South Africa and Nigeria.

About the methodology used in 2006

The new survey methodology is key to understanding the lower numbers. Previously, UNAIDS arrived at the 5.7-million figure by testing pregnant women and high-risk groups such as drug users and prostitutes over four months each year, at surveillance centers all over the country.

Experts have concluded that because government surveillance centers are mainly frequented by the poor and by high-risk groups it caused national estimates to be skewed upwards.

The latest methodology involved both surveillance data (from approximately 400 centers) and a population-based survey, which tested blood samples and covered about 200,000 people (ages 15-54), including face-to-face interviews, across the country between December 2005 and August 2006. Considered more comprehensive, and validated by independent global organizations, India’s new epi-detection methodology shows lower numbers and many localized epidemics.

What we do

Hashmi Trust has long understood the importance of educating people about general health and about the dreading face of AIDS. Hashmi Trust now has a full fledged team of seasoned & devoted doctors and para medical staff who are untiringly involved in serving people with HIV. The trust had to its credit organising more than 200 General Health Camps in rural belts of Western Uttar Pradesh where free medical check-ups, lectures on health awareness, Vaccination against Polio, Hepatitis B and Tuberculosis, Blood donation, Blood sampling any many more medical assistance taks had been accomplished.

HIV we fight against

Hashmi Trust has a 20 bed accommodation which is entirely devoted for hospitalisation and treatment of AIDS patients. The medicos in our team not only treat these ill-fated people but also counsel & encourage them to live like any other person. Hashmi Trust has till now organised more than 80 camps in various parts of rural Uttar Pradesh (West) to enlighten the mass about AIDS, its prevention, importance of being loyal to his/her partner and also distributed literature concerning this ghastly disease.