National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)

The 2008/2009 HIV estimates were generated through a systematic process that included consultation with experts in the field of biostatistics and epidemiology and who represented premier Indian institutions, and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organisation (WHO). This report highlights the India HIV estimates 2008/2009.

India had an estimated 1.8 – 2.9 million HIV positive persons in 2007, with an estimated adult HIV prevalence of 0.34% (0.25%–0.43%). As the HIV Prevalence among the high risk groups (HRG) is very high compared to that among the general population, India continues to be in the category of concentrated epidemic. The sexual mode continues to be the major mode of transmission, though transmission through injecting drug use and Men having Sex with Men are on the rise in many new pockets. The annual HIV sentinel surveillance covered 1,215 sites in 2008-09.

The first National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) was launched in 1992 for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in India. This was followed by NACP II in 1999 and NACP III in 2007. During different phases of the programme, the focus shifted from raising HIV/AIDS awareness to behaviour change, from a national response to a more decentralised response and to increasing involvement of NGOs and networks of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). Based on the lessons from NACP I and II, the government designed and implemented NACP III.

The adult HIV prevalence at national level has continued its steady decline from 0.41% in 2000 through 0.36% in 2006 to 0.31% in 2009. All the six high prevalence states show declining trend. However, the low prevalence states of Assam, Chandigarh, Orissa, Kerala, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya show rising trends in the last four years.

HIV Sentinel Surveillance is one of the key components of second generation surveillance system in India to track the HIV epidemic in the country with the objective of understanding the level and trends of HIV epidemic among different population groups as well as to identify the spread of the epidemic to new pockets.

This technical document consists of the epidemiological profile summary along with the available updated information for each district of the State. Each district summary highlights the key epidemiological features of the district and key recommendations based on these findings. The document would be useful to programme managers, academicians and researchers as a quick reference for the HIV/AIDS situation in a district.

This technical document consists of the epidemiological profile summary along with the available updated information for each district of the State. Each district summary highlights the key epidemiological features of the district and key recommendations based on these findings. The document would be useful to programme managers, academicians and researchers as a quick reference for the HIV/AIDS situation in a district.

This technical document consists of the epidemiological profile summary along with the available updated information for each district of the State. Each district summary highlights the key epidemiological features of the district and key recommendations based on these findings. The document would be useful to programme managers, academicians and researchers as a quick reference for the HIV/AIDS situation in a district.

This technical document consists of the epidemiological profile summary along with the available updated information for each district of the State.

These guidelines with the institutionalization of the programmatic mapping and size estimates of Key Populations exercise biennially with a revalidation step between two rounds, will guide strategic actions towards closing the gaps in prevention coverage and reach out to each person at risk of been infected by HIV to further reduce incidence of HIV. These guidelines emphasise two main features :1) the mapping will focus on Key Populations but broaden the definition and the spaces for mapping, to capture populations previously left out of the prevention programmes, and 2) the programmatic mapping will be community-led within a technical framework provided by NACO.