NGOs punch holes into UN agency’s AIDS estimates

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 18: A GROUP of NGOs and independent activists today claimed that the India figures of HIV/AIDS cases put out by UNAIDS, the United Nations’ nodal agency for AIDS, contain several contradictions and ‘‘cover-ups’’.

‘‘They have released the same 1999 HIV/AIDS data on four different occasions, and in their latest report, called the 2000 ‘Revised’ update, all the data was suddenly removed,’’ alleged Purushottaman of the NGO Joint Action Council Kannur (JACK).

According to the epidemiological factsheet (India) of the UNAIDS’ AIDS Epidemic Update, which is brought out twice a year, there were 3.10 lakh AIDS deaths in India in 1999. The same figure was quoted in the updates of June 2000, December 2000 and June 2001. All the data are available on the UNAIDS website.

‘‘On what ground have they removed the figures from the latest report?’’ asked Purushottaman. A UNAIDS official said: ‘‘Our figures are accurate.’’ He refused to comment on the alleged ‘‘disappearance’’ of the figures in the ‘revised’ 2000 update.

The activists also questioned the use of the word ‘‘epidemic’’, which is used by the international community to describe the AIDS situation in India. As per the latest UNAIDS/NACO figures, there are 3.86 million people living with HIV/AIDS in India.

‘‘The actual incidence of HIV/AIDS is substantially lower than the projections made by UNAIDS,’’ said Smitu Kothari of the NGO Lokayan. According to UNAIDS figures, the HIV prevalence rate in Manipur — one of the country’s earliest entry points due to rampant intravenous drug use — rose from ‘‘hardly detectable’’ in 1988 to 71 per cent in four years.

‘‘Given that the period for HIV to progress to AIDS has been fixed at 4-5 years for India, there should have been visible signs of an epidemic in these areas,’’ said Purushottaman.

Since cost projections, as well as donations and international aid for HIV/AIDS are derived from UNAIDS figures, Kothari pointed out that incorrect figures may result in gross overestimates of money needed for treatment and healthcare costs.