World AIDS Day in India
2007
By:
Poonam Sharma - Profile
There are 6 more posts on Jai Hind: Proud to be an Indian by Poonam Sharma
Categories:
Awareness, Children, Healthcare
Tags:
AIDS, Awareness, Children, Healthcare
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Today is World AIDS Day!
Brief History
World AIDS Day was established by WHO in 1988. This day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.
Red ribbon is International symbol of HIV and AIDS awareness. We are flaunting one in this post. 
Facts
As per UN estimations, 5.7 million of 33.2 HIV-infected people worldwide reside in India. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka are states with highest number of HIV positive cases. Andhra Pradesh is planning to make a new law that makes it compulsory for the couples to take HIV test before marriage.
India is largest producer of cheap ARVs (antiretroviral drugs) that are used in AIDS treatment. Yet most people in India can not afford it. 
Sections of society most affected with AIDS in India are sex workers, truck drivers, gays, and injecting drug users. Yet this disease is not confined to them.
What We can do?
The slogan for 2007 World AIDS Day is “Take the Lead. Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.” Be part of those who are building better tomorrow.
Here is a mini guide about what we can do to stop AIDS menace in India:
1. Indulge in safe sex always. Pass the awareness around.
2. Sex education is banned in several states. Campaign to reinstate sex education in schools. This is important considering the number of children who get afflicted by AIDS every year indulging in unsafe sex.
3. Fight not only AIDS, but also the stigma attached with the disease. Most people suffer AIDS in silence due to the fear of being shunned in society. Some of them are denied their right to live with dignity due to their AIDS infection.
4. Pass on the awareness that medicines are now available that prevent transfer of AIDS infection from pregnant mothers to their children. Most women do not request the medicine, even after treatment to prevent mother-to-child-transmission because of the stigma attached with the disease.
5. Join Stop AIDS in children campaign. Every year 330, 000 children die of AIDS. Lets take steps to save them. Again this is possible by stopping mother-to-child-transmission of infection.
Related Posts:
FAQs about AIDS
HIV-AIDS Do’s and Don’ts
HIV-AIDS stats in India
I also write at Visceral Observations.
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Poonam,
Even I was unaware that there is medicine available that prevents the transfer of the virus from the mother to the child. That’s very good news indeed. Nothing is worse than a new born child infected with this deadly disease.
Actually I think now government body National Rural Health Commission is doing its best to publicise this. These ads are targeted to rural areas, they feature on several TV channels.
The drug is nevirapine, I think now improved version is available.
I really enjoy seeing how many blogs have taken on this subject, each in their own special way. I recommend you take a look at http://www.dinahproject.com/blog.asp
which has a very humourous but succinct point about the state of AIDS today
Moni, Thanks for the link…
Glad to see this subject being written about all over, awareness is a part of solution.
I will try to comment on this blog too.
i really enjoy talking this topic infront of the people who suffer and make them to live ordinary life as others. but some people even today are sccared by the word aids
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Hey.. good info.. although I support and encourage any such activity, I have a different view point particularly about AIDS awareness campaign and related things..
I feel that a lot of things are taken for granted (like, peoples behavioral preferences, in general) and ’sex education’ per se doesn’t solve the purpose, rather it leads to more promiscuous behavior among teenagers..
I mean.. shouldn’t we emphasize more on abstinence rather than advising about indulging in a ’safe’ manner?
Hope my comments would not offend anyone.. I appreciate the efforts of all the people behind such campaigns and believe they have only good intentions and hence are doing so.. Just wanted to present a different way of looking at it..