Local HIV/AIDS info

India has a population of over one billion, around half of whom are adults in the sexually active age group. The spread of HIV in India has been uneven. Although much of India has a low rate of infection, HIV epidemics are more severe in the southern half of the country and the far north-east. HIV is primarily spread through heterosexual contact. Infections in the north-east are mainly found amongst injecting drug users (IDUs) and sex workers.

In India, as elsewhere, AIDS is often seen as "someone else's problem" - as something that affects people living on the margins of society, whose lifestyles are considered immoral. Even as it moves into the general population, the HIV epidemic is still misunderstood among the Indian public. People living with HIV have faced violent attacks, been rejected by families, spouses and communities, been refused medical treatment, and even, in some reported cases, denied the last rites before they die. As well as adding to the suffering of people living with HIV, this discrimination is hindering efforts to prevent new infections. While such strong reactions to HIV and AIDS exist, it is difficult to educate people about how they can avoid infection.

 India has an adult prevalence 2.3 million HIV positive individuals. Although the proportion of people living with HIV in India is lower than previously estimated, the epidemic continues to affect large numbers of people. Very young adolescents are especially vulnerable to HIV infection because of their lack of correct information and life skills and their behaviour of experimentation. In India there are about 315 million young people in the age group of 10-24 years accounting for one third of the country's population. HIV and AIDS affect young people disproportionately.