India has an estimated 5.1 million HIV positive people and we are ranked the second largest country with highest amount of HIV positive people next to South Africa.
UN Secretary General and special envoy for HIV/AIDS for Asia and the Pacific Nafis sadik said that the steps taken by India to check the spread of HIV/AIDS is in good progress but more has to be done for an effective strengthening of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO). Nafis said that the NACO has to concentrate more on youth and women who are more vulnerable to infection of HIV. Nafis said that he is not happy with the allocation of funds and also on the recruitment of staff for NACO.Nafis said that a collaborative referendum of all the political parties, religious groups, Non-Governmental organizations, doctors and legislators is required for an effective control of AIDS spread. Nafis his not happy with the number of staff in the coordinating body, comparing the Brazil which has 100 coordinating people in the program, India has only 15 people with more consultants in the group than the professionals and the there is only 9 professionals in the group who has to manage 30 consultants.
The NACO of India is to meet this Saturday to formulate new rules and propagandas for an effective control of HIV/AIDS and the would also look into possibilities of coordinating the program with other national programs and one of main agenda would be to announcement that the National Commission on AIDS control would be chaired by the Prime minister.
Nafis sadik said that, “Most countries that were once resistant to the idea of making condoms accessible to youngsters and educating adolescents on sexuality are becoming more pragmatic whereas, sexual morals are changing whether we like it or not and the first message for them should be abstinence and if they don't do that, we need to protect their health." Nafis added that, "We have to remove the stigma, the discrimination and the denial to accept that people infected with HIV/AIDS can lead normal and long life with treatment and care”.
Source: Indo-Asian News Service
