Then, scientists who studied HIV prevalence in a district in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh — the state has the highest HIV rate in India — found it was less than half the government’s figure. Instead of 112,600 HIV cases in Guntur, the number estimated was 45,900.

Early last month, The New York Times reported the decrease in cases for the first time, quoting National Family Health survey figures. International agencies then chose not to

comment then.

A Lancet study in March 2006 had also said that the number of cases of HIV/AIDS has reduced from 2000 to 2004.

The encouraging results, according to Ramadoss, is a reason to be happy about. “Many of us know that we have always been found to be at fault for underestimating the seriousness of the epidemic. That was a disturbing allegation. Today, we have a far more reliable estimate of burden of HIV disease in India”.

Ramadoss said there was no plan to reduce funding for AIDS because of the lower estimate and added the government may actually increase funding, as 140 of India’s 604 districts had a HIV prevalence of more than 1 per cent.

Said Sujatha Rao, head of the National AIDS Control Organisation: “Even as the general prevalence is reported to have come down, the trends of HIV infection continue to remain the same. It’s more in rural areas and amongst women. Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of cases and government is taking notice of this. It is such a state where authorities didn’t take action when they should have. The state started taking initiatives only in 2000. A lot of good work was done since then but there is lot more to be done.”

... contd.