It is estimated that India has an estimated 5.1 million HIV-infected people, next only to South Africa. President A.P.J Abdul Kalam on Friday in Shillong (capital of the northeastern state of Meghalaya.) said that the vaccines against AIDS developed would be available in India in three to four years.
The northeast state of Meghalaya is one of the worst affected areas in India and the AIDS virus has now many victims in the India army based in that region. President Kalam spoke about the vaccine while addressing a two-day international conclave on "Combat HIV/AIDS: A Uniformed Intervention" organized by the Assam Rifles Wives Welfare Association.Lt. Gen. Bhoopinder Singh, director general of Assam Rifles, said 40 troopers had died of AIDS and 139 were affected by the disease. The first HIV-positive Assam Rifles trooper was detected in 1992..
An official of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) said the first phase of trials for the vaccine began this month at the National AIDS Research Institute at Pune.
"Trial is already on and I am very sure the vaccine will be available in the market in three to four years' time," said President Kalam.
The NACO official added that," President Kalam and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, which coordinates the global search for a vaccine, is supporting us in our efforts to develop the vaccine” .
India today has produced cheap drugs to combat AIDS that is now being exported around the globe and the AIDS vaccine will be the next major research initiative that will help not only India but also other developing countries. India is now recognized for its advance research programme and many genetically engineered vaccine and drugs are produced by Indian manufactures
