U.S. Might Expand HIV/AIDS Research Cooperation With India, Assistant U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Dybul Says

The United States is looking to "enhance" its cooperation with India on HIV/AIDS-related research, Assistant U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Mark Dybul said on Saturday at the First National Conference of AIDS Society of India in New Delhi, ANI/newkerala.com reports. "We are very excited about these programs on prevention and care," Dybul said, adding, "And now we are becoming more involved in treatment, working to collaborate in particularly laboratory systems and monitoring systems, learning from each other and research. Research is a fundamental component and of course India has a very strong research activity, and we are excited to be a part of that as well." Dybul said that the United States in 2004 spent $36 million in funding from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief for HIV/AIDS programs in India and is expecting to give "considerably more" PEPFAR funding to the country this year. Jaipal Reddy, India's information and broadcasting minister, opened the three-day conference, which includes physicians, researchers, members of the International AIDS Society and others involved in HIV/AIDS treatment and care (ANI/newkerala.com, 4/2). About 5.1 million HIV-positive people live in India, and the number could increase to 20 million by 2015, according to some HIV/AIDS experts. The Indian government currently spends about $146 million, or about 29 cents per person, annually to fight HIV/AIDS (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/16).

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