75th Session of UNGA on Prevention of HIV/AIDS

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Recently, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare digitally addressed the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Resolution 75/260.

• The Resolution 75/260 of UNGA deals with the Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the political declarations on HIV/AIDS.

Key Points of Address

• India has ably demonstrated that strong political leadership which  is most critical to address inequalities and gaps in epidemic response. 
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, India took swift and timely action by involving communities, civil society, and development partners to mitigate the impact of COVID on HIV services.
• India aspires to scale up HIV care to reach 100% of people living with this dreaded disease.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the white blood cells called CD4 cells. 
  • HIV destroys these CD4 cells, weakening a person’s immunity against infections such as tuberculosis and some cancers.

• If the person’s CD4 cell count falls below 200, their immunity is severely compromised, leaving them more susceptible to infections. Someone with a CD4 count below 200 is described as having AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

• HIV can be diagnosed using simple and affordable rapid diagnostic tests, as well as self-tests. 
• It is important that HIV testing services follow the 5Cs: consent, confidentiality, counselling, correct results and connection with treatment and other services.
  • This early identification greatly improves treatment options and reduces the risk of transmission to other people including sexual or drug-sharing partners.
• Symptoms
  • Many people do not feel symptoms of HIV in the first few months after infection and may not know that they are infected. 
  • Others may experience influenza-like symptoms, including fever, headache, rash and sore throat. However, these first few months are when the virus is most infectious.
  • As the disease progresses, symptoms will be expanded and more pronounced.
    • These can include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough. 
• Treatment /Prevention 
  • HIV is fully preventable. Effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) prevents HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. 
    • HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy consisting of one or more medicines.
    • ART does not cure HIV but reduces its replication in the blood, thereby reducing the viral load to an undetectable level.
    • ART enables people living with HIV to lead healthy, productive lives. It also works as an effective prevention, reducing the risk of onward transmission by 96%.
    • ART should be taken every day throughout the person’s life. People can continue with safe and effective ART if they adhere to their treatment.
    •  In cases when ART becomes ineffective due to reasons such as lost contact with health care providers and drug stock outs, people will need to switch to other medicines to protect their health.
  • Someone who is on antiretroviral therapy and virally suppressed will not pass HIV to their sexual partners.
  • Condoms prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and prophylaxis use antiretroviral medicines to prevent HIV. 
  • Male circumcision is recommended in high-burden countries in eastern and southern Africa. 
  • Harm reduction (needle syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy) prevents HIV and other blood-borne infections for people who inject drugs.

Global Efforts 

•   UNAIDS
  • The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS  (UNAIDS) is an international organization that is working towards stopping new HIV infections, ensuring that everyone living with HIV has access to HIV treatment, promoting human rights, and producing data for decision-making. 
  • The organization leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. 

• WHO recommends that every person who may be at risk of HIV should access testing. 
  • People diagnosed with HIV should be offered and linked to antiretroviral treatment as soon as possible following diagnosis. If taken consistently, this treatment also prevents HIV transmission to others.

Steps Taken by India 

• HIV/AIDS Act 2017
  • The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, came into force on September 10, 2018. 
  • It aims to prevent and control the spread of HIV and AIDS in the country and provides for penalties for discrimination against those affected by the virus.
  • It provides a legal and enabling framework to safeguard the human rights of infected and affected populations.
• 90-90-90 Strategy
  • 90% of those who are HIV positive in India know their status, 90% of those who know their status are on treatment and 90% of those who are on treatment experience effective viral load suppression.
•  HIV Prevention Model
  • India’s unique HIV prevention model is centered around the concept of ‘Social Contracting through which the ‘Targeted Interventions Program’ is implemented with support from civil society. The program is aimed at behaviour change, communication, outreach, service delivery, counselling & testing and ensuring linkages to HIV care.
• Free Anti-Retro-Viral Treatment
  • India is providing free anti-retro-viral treatment to close to 1.4 million people. Indian drugs are also reaching millions of People living with HIV in Africa. 
• National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)
  • It was launched in 1992, is being implemented as a comprehensive programme for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in India. Over time, the focus has shifted from raising awareness to behavior change, from a national response to a more decentralized response .
  • It has been Revised, Revived and Revamped to focus on hard-to-reach and at-risk populations. 
  • In line with the motto of the Government of India, ‘Together, for everyone’s growth, with everyone’s trust’, the National AIDS Control Program has signed MoUs with public and private sector industries to mobilise their support for HIV prevention and treatment. 

• Viral Load Testing Facilities

• They  have been scaled up, and HIV counselling, testing and community-based screening for early diagnosis have been ramped up to achieve the target of Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV. 

• Project Sunrise
  • It was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (2016) to tackle the rising HIV prevalence in north-eastern states. 

Source :PIB