Mumbai : Today is the World AIDS day. The day is observed to spread awareness and step up efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS. The goal set for this year is to accord basic human rights to HIV victims while giving a push to prevention, treatment, care and support for those living with the syndrome.
“The recent UN AIDS report has lauded India for its AIDS prevention programme saying that it is doing even better than the United States. While in 2001 the number of people who got the virus was 2.4 lakh, it came down by half to 1.2 lakh last year . Among the total number of people affected with HIV in India 40 percent are women and almost 90 percent of the newly infected got the virus due to un protected sex. However, the trends show that prevalance rate is coming down among women sex workers. In the north-east, the main mode of contamination is infected needles shared by drug users. While India has launched an aggressive awareness campaign, the long awaited Bill aimed at protecting the rights of HIV infected persons and addressing discrimination at work places against them is still to see the light of the day.
The Red Ribbon Express in India, the world’s largest mass mobilization drive against HIV-AIDS which returned to New Delhi a few days back travelled through 22 States during its year long journey, halting at over 150 stations covering 80 lakh people. Thirty five lakh people were tested and counselled during the journey of the special train. In the capital apart from other programme, a Red Ribbon marathon will be flagged off today to create awareness about HIV-AIDS.