HIV AIDS Alliance in India
HIV AIDS Alliance in India
The India HIV/AIDS Alliance was established in 1999 to expand and intensify the International HIV/AIDS Alliance's global strategy of supporting community action to reduce the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of AIDS. It comprises a country-based Alliance Secretariat in New Delhi, 5 linking organizations (LO) €¦#34; Vasavya Mahila Mandali, Palmyrah Workers' Development Society, Mamta, Lepra Society and Alliance for AIDS Action €¦#34; and their networks of over 100 community-based NGOs and CBOs across 4 states €¦#34; Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Delhi. The Alliance has also been working with a state partner, Social Awareness Service Organization in Manipur.
In 2007, Alliance India supported over 120 community-based projects through its NGO and CBO partners to prevent HIV infection; improve access to HIV treatment, care and support; and lessen the impact of HIV and AIDS, including reducing stigma and discrimination, particularly among the most vulnerable and marginalized communities key to the epidemic €¦#34; such as sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDU) and adults and children living with and/or affected by HIV and AIDS, with an emphasis on local leadership and responsibility.
With funding from the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), awarded to the Alliance in July 2007, the partnership in India has been broadened to include two new project-based LO relationships with two external organizations €¦#34; Plan India and Catholic Relief Services €¦#34; and their networks of implementing NGO partners.
With an estimated 2.5 million people living with HIV, India accounts for around 13% of global HIV infections. Six of the country's states and union territories contain two-thirds of reported infections (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Karnataka). In these six, prevalence is four to five times higher than in other states.
Prevalence remains high among sex workers, and is growing among injecting drug users and men who have sex with men. Targeted prevention efforts among sex workers in the southern states have seen some success, but prevention is often complicated by the varied nature of commercial sex and law enforcement. The combination of injecting drug use and paid sex could see increasing numbers of people infected. Interventions for men who have sex with men remain limited.
The low status of women is contributing to the increasing feminization of the epidemic in India. Orphaned children also carry a heavy burden €¦#34; facing stigma and discrimination, and heading up households when family members die. It is not known how many children have been orphaned as the result of AIDS, but there are an estimated 25 million orphans in total. Lack of knowledge is impeding prevention and treatment efforts and perpetuating risky sexual behavior. Only an estimated 10% to 20% of people living with HIV in India know that they have the virus. Many do not know where to get an HIV test. Despite rising infection rates in the general population, the perception remains that HIV is largely restricted to sex workers, truck drivers and injecting drug users. Discriminatory treatment means that many people living with HIV conceal their status and many are deterred from seeking care.
105,622 people currently receive free antiretroviral treatment through the public sector. The Indian government amended its target of providing free antiretroviral treatment to 300,000 people by 2005 to 300,000 by 2011, due to initial constraints in rolling out the programmer. In 2007, the estimated number of people living with HIV dropped from 5.2 million to a range of 2.0-3.1 million, due to revised estimation methods.
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance has reflected its growing commitment to linking sexual and reproductive health with HIV and human rights by changing its charity objects. It means an increased priority to carry out wider health activities and human rights work.
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance (the Alliance) is a global partnership of nationally-based organizations working to support communities to reduce the spread of HIV and meet the challenge of AIDS. The Alliance provides support to organizations from more than 40 developing countries for over 3,000projects, reaching some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities with HIV prevention, care, support and improves access to treatment.
The Alliance's original objects were to promote the relief of persons who are suffering with HIV/AIDS and advance the education of the public concerning the symptoms, prevention and consequences of HIV/AIDS.
In 2007 around 2.5 million people were newly infected with HIV and over 2 million people died of HIV-related illnesses.
Barely1 in 4 people are accessing HIV treatment and 1 in 5 are accessing basic prevention services. The UN and G8 agreed to a target to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment by 2010.
The India HIV/AIDS Alliance was established in 1999 to expand and intensify the International HIV/AIDS Alliance's global strategy of supporting community action to reduce the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of AIDS. It comprises a country-based Alliance Secretariat in New Delhi, 5 linking organizations (LO) €¦#34; Vasavya Mahila Mandali, Palmyrah Workers' Development Society, Mamta, Lepra Society and Alliance for AIDS Action €¦#34; and their networks of over 100 community-based NGOs and CBOs across 4 states €¦#34; Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Delhi. The Alliance has also been working with a state partner, Social Awareness Service Organization in Manipur.
In 2007, Alliance India supported over 120 community-based projects through its NGO and CBO partners to prevent HIV infection; improve access to HIV treatment, care and support; and lessen the impact of HIV and AIDS, including reducing stigma and discrimination, particularly among the most vulnerable and marginalized communities key to the epidemic €¦#34; such as sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDU) and adults and children living with and/or affected by HIV and AIDS, with an emphasis on local leadership and responsibility.
With funding from the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), awarded to the Alliance in July 2007, the partnership in India has been broadened to include two new project-based LO relationships with two external organizations €¦#34; Plan India and Catholic Relief Services €¦#34; and their networks of implementing NGO partners.
With an estimated 2.5 million people living with HIV, India accounts for around 13% of global HIV infections. Six of the country's states and union territories contain two-thirds of reported infections (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Karnataka). In these six, prevalence is four to five times higher than in other states.
Prevalence remains high among sex workers, and is growing among injecting drug users and men who have sex with men. Targeted prevention efforts among sex workers in the southern states have seen some success, but prevention is often complicated by the varied nature of commercial sex and law enforcement. The combination of injecting drug use and paid sex could see increasing numbers of people infected. Interventions for men who have sex with men remain limited.
The low status of women is contributing to the increasing feminization of the epidemic in India. Orphaned children also carry a heavy burden €¦#34; facing stigma and discrimination, and heading up households when family members die. It is not known how many children have been orphaned as the result of AIDS, but there are an estimated 25 million orphans in total. Lack of knowledge is impeding prevention and treatment efforts and perpetuating risky sexual behavior. Only an estimated 10% to 20% of people living with HIV in India know that they have the virus. Many do not know where to get an HIV test. Despite rising infection rates in the general population, the perception remains that HIV is largely restricted to sex workers, truck drivers and injecting drug users. Discriminatory treatment means that many people living with HIV conceal their status and many are deterred from seeking care.
105,622 people currently receive free antiretroviral treatment through the public sector. The Indian government amended its target of providing free antiretroviral treatment to 300,000 people by 2005 to 300,000 by 2011, due to initial constraints in rolling out the programmer. In 2007, the estimated number of people living with HIV dropped from 5.2 million to a range of 2.0-3.1 million, due to revised estimation methods.
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance has reflected its growing commitment to linking sexual and reproductive health with HIV and human rights by changing its charity objects. It means an increased priority to carry out wider health activities and human rights work.
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance (the Alliance) is a global partnership of nationally-based organizations working to support communities to reduce the spread of HIV and meet the challenge of AIDS. The Alliance provides support to organizations from more than 40 developing countries for over 3,000projects, reaching some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities with HIV prevention, care, support and improves access to treatment.
The Alliance's original objects were to promote the relief of persons who are suffering with HIV/AIDS and advance the education of the public concerning the symptoms, prevention and consequences of HIV/AIDS.
In 2007 around 2.5 million people were newly infected with HIV and over 2 million people died of HIV-related illnesses.
Barely1 in 4 people are accessing HIV treatment and 1 in 5 are accessing basic prevention services. The UN and G8 agreed to a target to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment by 2010.
