HIV/AIDS in India

India has had a sharp decrease in the estimated number of HIV infections, from 2005 reports saying 5.2 million to 5.7 million had HIV to 2007 UNAids reports saying that number is now between 2 million and 3 million. . This brings the HIV prevalence rate in India below many western nations including the US, Canada, Italy, France, and Spain, at .36 percent.

India's national epidemic is made up of a number of local epidemics, and in some places they occur within the same state. The epidemics vary, from states with mainly heterosexual transmission of HIV (85%), often via interaction with sex workers, to some states where intravenous drug use is the main route of transmission. Both tracking the epidemic and implementing effective programmes poses a serious challenge to the authorities and communities in India. HIV surveillance in India falls under the auspices of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO). The majority of HIV surveillance data collected by NACO is done through annual unlinked anonymous testing of prenatal clinic (or antenatal clinics) and sexually transmitted infection clinic attendees. Annual reports of HIV surveillance are freely available on NACO's website.

India has a large population and population density, low literacy levels and consequently low levels of awareness, and HIV/AIDS is one of the most challenging public health problems ever faced by the country. A recent study published in the British medical journal "The Lancet" in (2006) reported an approximately 30% decline in HIV infections among young women aged 15 to 24 years attending prenatal clinics in selected southern states of India from 2000 to 2004 where the epidemic is thought to be concentrated. The authors cautiously attribute observed declines to increased condom use by men who visit commercial sex workers and cite several pieces of corroborating evidence.