Caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), AIDS was earlier regarded as a threat to populations across the world. But according to recent predictions of experts the outside sub-Saharan Africa, AIDS is mainly confined to groups like gays, lesbians, sex workers and those having sex with sex workers. Dr Kevin de Cock, head of WHO’s HIV/AIDS department, said that there has been a shift in the understanding of the risks posed by the HIV. Speaking to an Indian newspaper, Dr Kevin de Cock said that if the virus had to cause an epidemic among the general population in India and China, as originally feared, why hasn’t it happened till now? It doesn’t look likely anymore. Further, he added, India needs to look at who are getting infected more often and then target that section of society. Countries need to go where transmission is occurring, which they have not always been good at.

Although the World Health Organisation is saying that the risk of disease is less in certain sections of society, but according to stats, presently about 2.5 millions in India suffer from HIV. That means 0.36 per cent of total population of India is affected by HIV, which is not a good sign. In India, the HIV infection was first diagnosed among sex workers in Chennai, Tamilnadu in 1986-87. In the 1990s, the HIV infection rates soared rapidly and it affected all sections of Indian society. Seeing the sudden outbreak of the disease, the government of India set up the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in 1992 to oversee the formulation of policies, prevention work and control programmes relating to HIV and AIDS.

A number of programmes were launched under the supervision of NACO to control the HIV and AIDS. However, due to illiteracy, use of unsterilised needles, unsafe sex among sex workers and their clients mostly comprise of truck drivers, the HIV/AIDS related programmes failed these programmes. Meanwhile, a stigma created in society regarding the HIV affected patients and common people started to avoid them in fear of getting affected. In fact, members in a family developed the tendency to keep themselves away for the HIV affected person. Such division in society and the family was a big threat for the country.

With the aim to make people aware about the HIV and to stop divisions in society, the government launched the massive AIDS campaigns. The government’s AIDS campaigns highlighted the points about the threat of HIV and the ways by which the disease spread. The HIV campaign changed the mindset of educated class to certain extent, but it failed to change the perception of illiterate class. AIDS is spreading in India mostly among truck drivers, army personnel and migrated labours who remain away from their families for a long time. Even today, the unsafe sex is offered by sex workers; unsterilised needles are still used in small towns and remote areas of country that spread AIDS among the common people.

WHO’s prediction has certainly brought some relief for nations across the world, but controlling the spread of disease among the gays, lesbians and sex workers is must to check the HIV infection because the fatal virus travels from these sections of society to common men.