Statement by USAID/India Mission Director George Deikun at the celebration of 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, titled “India and America Celebrate Life on World AIDS Day” held on December 01, 2008 at New Delhi

December 01, 2008

On this day, the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day, I would like to recognize the great strides taken by the leadership in India in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic. While we remember all those we have lost due to this deadly disease, we also recognize the tremendous successes that have been accomplished since first HIV case was reported in India in1986, due to the leadership and political will demonstrated by the Government of India, in conjunction with the NGO and private sectors. The U.S. Government is proud to be a partner with India in its work, through the President’s Emergency Plan to Fight AIDS, and marks World AIDS Day, December 1, with a commitment to sustain that collaboration in the coming years.

Today, there are more than 175,000 people in India on antiretroviral therapy – an exponential increase in the past few years – thanks to the dramatic improvement in treatment services. India has begun to ensure that even the more costly and complex second line therapy is now available for those resistant to first line drugs. The government has also established a national system to provide care to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS through its Community Care Centers (CCCs), and has done much to reach out to rural communities through its innovative Link Worker program.

India has made notable strides in its public-private partnerships, ensuring a sustainable and lasting effort to combat the AIDS epidemic. The Government of India is to be commended for recognizing the need for a broader response, and for seeking opportunities to partner with organizations outside the public sector to assist with the national response. Private medical institutions and major companies, such as Bajaj and Tata, have become invaluable partners for the expansion of access to care and treatment. As showcased at the XXth International AIDS Conference in Mexico City this year, the Indian Testing Services are of better quality and more cost efficient than those of several other nations, including some developed countries. In a landmark initiative, India has introduced the first group insurance plan for People Living with HIV/AIDS, through a partnership with a United States Government-funded initiative.

Further illustrations of successes abound. The Government of India’s National AIDS Control Organization has created technical and operational guidelines on HIV/AIDS that will standardize services and quality at the national level. A national anti-discrimination bill is in parliament, which, when approved, will protect the human rights of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. And India should be immensely proud of the demonstrated success in the state of Tamil Nadu, one of the few places in the world where the epidemic has been slowed.

The challenge is great, with 2.47 million Indians infected with HIV and the disease persisting in rural states and increasing amongst women. In response, , the Government of India authorized the third phase of the National AIDS Control Program (NACP-III) in 2007, with the goal of halting and reversing the epidemic in India over the next five years. The United States Government will continue to work with the Government of India to assist it with this ambitious national goal. We will work in a mutual effort to strengthen infrastructure, systems and human resources in prevention, care, support and treatment programs at district, state and national levels.

Ultimately, each of us must also pledge to stop HIV/AIDS; World AIDS Day provides a fitting opportunity to reaffirm this message of hope and determination. It is in this spirit of commitment and cooperation that we join the people of India in celebrating the lives saved as a result of India and America’s continued partnership to halt the HIV/AIDS epidemic.