Living with the AIDS Virus : The Epidemic and the Response in India

'A fascinating book... an interesting collection of papers of potential importance in that the Indian epidemic could impact significantly on the UK... well worth reading' - Public Health 'Living with the AIDS Virus presents a detailed analysis of the effort to control AIDS in India, with contributions from those who have been involved with the campaign over several years.... Provides more food for thought for policy-makers, researchers and programme managers' - Ritu Priya, Nature India has been living with the human immunodeficiency virus for a little over 15 years. Given the size of the country, its high population density and interstate migration, preventing the further spread of HIV and also providing care facilities to people with AIDS are both critical and mammoth tasks. This volume traces the evolution of the HIV epidemic in India and documents how the largest democracy in the world has responded to it. It describes HIV programmes designed, developed and implemented by various governmental and non-governmental organizations in different parts of the country. Some of the programmes have had significant success in reaching at-risk population groups and in bringing about changes in high-risk behaviour patterns. The contributors highlight the lessons to be learnt from these experiences in order to identify what works, and what does not, in HIV interventions. The original essays presented here encompass a wide variety of issues ranging from the current HIV//AIDS scenario in India ,to the importance of ensuring behaviour modification in the socio-cultural environment, and specific interventions targeting injecting drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men. The legal issues related to HIV//AIDS in India are highlighted to assist in a more comprehensive understanding of the complex ethical and human dimensions involved. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of the interventions and the socio-economic impact of HIV//AIDS in the country are analyzed, providing a deeper understanding of the many dimensions of this epidemic in India. This timely and well-researched book will be of interest not only to policymakers, social workers and public health professionals but also to community-based and non-governmental organizations. It will be of equal interest to students of medicine and social work and to departments of public health and health management. Samiran Panda is an Associate Consultant at the Center for Harm Reduction, MacFarlane Burnet Center for Medical Research, Australia, and Principal Investigator of the Research on Infection Immunity: Collaborative Effort (RIICE), Society for Applied Studies, Kolkata (India). Anindya Chatterjee is the South Asia Co-ordinator for UNAIDS Country and Regional Support Department, Geneva. Abu S Abdul-Quader is a behavioural scientist based in Atlanta, USA.