Stating that the United States is proud to partner India through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), U.S. Ambassador to India Richard R. Verma, said on Tuesday that India has seen a drop in new HIV infections by over 50 percent between 2000 and 2011, a 38 percent decline in AIDS-related deaths between 2005 and 2013, and increased access to free lifesaving HIV treatment to over 800,000 Indians.
Speaking at a World AIDS Day commemoration event at the American Center Library here this afternoon, Ambassador Verma said that global declines in new infections and AIDS-related deaths are the result of affordable and quality generic HIV drugs made in India.
"In India, we celebrate the remarkable expansion of prevention, care, and treatment services which has been possible through the leadership and partnership of the Government of India, the commitment of activists, and the tireless efforts of healthcare workers. Despite tremendous progress, there is still much to do to close the gap between those who have access to services and those who don't," the American envoy said.
"After South Africa and Nigeria, India has the third highest number of people living with HIV in the world - an estimated 2.1 million, of which 39 percent are women and seven percent are children. Stigma and discrimination also remain a reality for many people infected with HIV. As a result, many people do not get tested and therefore still do not know they are infected with HIV," he added.
"Each year, on December first, we mark World AIDS Day to honor those who are living with HIV, those who have lost their lives to AIDS, and the caregivers, families, friends and communities who support them. We also celebrate our successes and recommit to an AIDS-free generation. On this World AIDS Day 2015, imagine if we had everything we need - the tools, science, and shared goals - to reduce by 90 percent the number of women, men, and children newly infected by HIV. Imagine the creation of an AIDS-free generation that eliminates HIV as a public health threat and where no one is left behind. Such a future, once inconceivable, is now possible. But we must seize the opportunity to reach it," Ambassador Verma said.
"This is the moment for us to focus and implement programs that enable control of the HIV andAIDS epidemic. Over the last 15 years, we achieved remarkable results working together toward the Millennium Development Goals. Today, we must stand together and demonstrate our collective resolve to meet the challenge we identified when we agreed to the new Global Goals: to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030," he added.
He said that President Obama has set a bold course for PEPFAR by announcing new HIV prevention and treatment targets for 2016 and 2017.
"By the end of 2017, PEPFAR will support 12.9 million people with life-saving HIV treatment. But many more people will need treatment - UNAIDS estimated in 2014 that there were still twenty-two million people living with HIV who were not on ART. India shares the same global challenges and opportunities to create an AIDS-free generation. With strong partnerships and collective efforts, an AIDS-free India is within reach. This World AIDS Day, the United States Government reaffirms our partnership with India to provide high impact interventions and reaching the most vulnerable populations," he added.
"Achieving an AIDS-free India requires action from each of us, and will not be easy. To reach this goal, we all must share responsibility and resolve to strengthen our efforts. We all know what we must do to achieve epidemic control. Working in partnership, we have come a very long way since the darkest days of the epidemic, but the work is far from done. We can support our families, friends and neighbours who may be at risk, encouraging HIV testing and counseling and sharing information about free services available throughout the country," Ambassador Verma said.
He said that it was his hope that the information sharing and discussion would result in being better informed about HIV and AIDS, to enable more people to be a part of India's response to the HIV epidemic and reaching the goal of an AIDS-free India.
