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Countries in Focus

$25
could provide HIV test kits for 24 pregnant women so that they know their status and, if positive, can seek treatment to prevent transmission of the virus to their unborn child.

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India

India has the second largest population in the world and is the world's largest democracy. Economic growth has been strong over the past decade, especially in the IT sector but the rising tide has not lifted all boats. Significant disparities remain, based on class, caste, gender and geography.

India has the third-highest number of people living with HIV, after South Africa and Nigeria. Although the prevalence rate is low, at 0.36 per cent, 2.5 million people are estimated to be HIV-positive. The epidemic is unevenly distributed across the country with 80 per cent of cases being concentrated in just six states. Thirty-four per cent of young people aged 15 to 24 are reported to be HIV-positive. Young women are becoming more likely to be infected and most do not have the basic knowledge they need to protect themselves. Women account for 39 per cent of new cases, a trend with serious implications as more HIV-positive mothers will unknowingly pass the virus onto their children.

While children represent six per cent of all HIV cases, they account for 18 per cent of AIDS-related deaths, primarily because of lack of access to paediatric treatment.

But access to antiretroviral therapy is improving for children, with more and more ART clinics opening up and more health care workers being trained on paediatric treatment methods. Prevention of Mother-to-Child programmes are expanding and public service announcements and health education materials are increasing women's knowledge of these services.

In July of 2007, the Government of India announced the first comprehensive National Policy on Children and AIDS.

UNICEF is reaching out to young people with peer education programmes in affected states in India. Through the training of peer educators and the development of communications materials, UNICEF hopes that we can provide 60 per cent of adolescents and young people most at risk with the life skills they need to protect themselves from HIV infection.

Living with HIV: Learning to Overcome the Obstacles

Elango Ramachandar, 38, and his wife Asha Ramaiah live in Bangalore, capital of the southern state of Karnataka. Mr. Ramachandar discovered he was HIV-positive in 1988 when he went to donate blood. He spent much of the next six years struggling to manage his infection and the associated stigma. He felt isolated and fearful until he met others who are HIV-positive. He became involved in community outreach programmes and in 1997, helped found the Indian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, a UNICEF-assisted support and advocacy network. Shortly afterwards, he began working for the Karnataka Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, where, in 1999, he met Ms. Ramaiah. She discovered her HIV-positive status following the death of her first husband in 1995.

Making a Positive Difference

Raguwaran Kandhaswamy is 17 and lives in a village in India's Tamil Nadu state. Ten years ago his father died of AIDS. His mother is HIV-positive. Having faced stigma and discrimination as a result, Raguwaran became motivated to help others. That desire to help led him to volunteer at the Positive Living Centre, a UNICEF-sponsored organization.