HIV/AIDS in India

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

World AIDS Day is held on the 1st December every year.

HIV/AIDS is one of the fourteen major communicable diseases that affect the population in India. The government has formulated the National AIDS prevention and control policy with the objectives and goals:

  • to prevent the spread of HIV infection and reduce any adverse economic and social impact
  • to generate a feeling of ownership among all the participants at government and non-government levels to make it a national effort
  • to create an enabling socio-economic environment for prevention of HIV/AIDS

The policy also aims at providing care and support to people living with HIV/AIDS and to ensure protection and promotion of their human rights.

Mode Of AIDS Transmission

The probable mode of transmission among the reported number of AIDS cases has been observed to be sexual mode of transmission, transmission from mother to child, blood and blood products and Injecting drug users.

National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)

National AIDS Control Organization is a division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that provides leadership to HIV/AIDS control programme in India. The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), launched in 1992, is being implemented as a comprehensive programme for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in India.

History and Background

First cases of HIV were diagnosed among sex workers in Chennai in 1986. Following the detection of the first AIDS case in India, the National AIDS Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

By the end of 1980s, HIV spread was observed among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. As the epidemic spread, need was felt for a nationwide programme and an organisation to steer the programme. In 1992, India’s first National AIDS Control Programme (1992-1999) was launched, and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) was constituted to implement the programme.

The objective of NACP-I (1992-1999) was to control the spread of HIV infection. During this period, 685 blood banks & 504 STD clinics were established. HIV sentinel surveillance system was also initiated. NGOs were involved in the prevention interventions with the focus on awareness generation. The programme led to capacity development at the state level with the creation of State AIDS Cells in the Directorate of Health Services in states and union territories.

NACP-II (1999-2006) was launched during which a number of new initiatives were undertaken and the programme expanded in new areas.