India Has Overtaken South Africa for Biggest HIV Toll: Global Fund Boss

On Tuesday in Paris, the executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria said that India has passed South Africa as the nation with the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS.

"The official statistics show India in second place and South Africa in first place," Richard Feachem said. "The official statistics are wrong. India is in first place." AIDS in India, he said, "is out of control."

According to UNAIDS' July 2004 report on HIV/AIDS prevalence at the end of 2003, South Africa's caseload is estimated at 5.3 million HIV infections, with a possible range of 4.5 million to 6.2 million. While India's caseload was estimated to be lower, 5.1 million, the much broader possible range of 2.5 million to 8.5 million is indicative of the many unknowns about the epidemic there.

Heterosexual intercourse with prostitutes is the chief route of HIV transmission in India. Ignorance and stigma about AIDS are plaguing the population, as are the relatively high prices of HIV drugs. Feachem identified the fact that Indian-made generic drugs are easier to get in Africa than in India as "a scandal" that "has to be changed."

Speaking at a press conference to launch a European "Friends of the Global Fund" money-raising effort, Feachem said, "India has to wake up and India has to take this very, very seriously." He said he expects the epidemic to grow much more rapidly among India's Hindu population than among its Muslims, owing to the protective effect of circumcision.

The Global Fund has committed more than $3 billion to 300 programs in 127 countries to combat HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.

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