NEW YORK -- India's population of 1 billion, greater than Africa, Australia and Latin America combined, is undergoing the threat of the unrelenting advance of HIV/AIDS. The infection is affecting all ages and social classes, and does not show any signs of abating. As things stand now, it is necessary to implement rapid measures with a strong component of prevention education to stop its deadly progression.
The fastest and better documented spread has occurred in Bombay and the state of Tamil Nadu. It is estimated that in Bombay, HIV has infected 50 percent of sex workers, and is present in 36 percent of sexually transmitted disease patients and 2.5 percent in women attending pre-natal clinics. Eastern India (Calcutta area) and Northern India (New Delhi region) still show a low prevalence of HIV infection (1 to 2 percent) among sex workers.
HIV infection is spreading rapidly from urban to rural areas, mainly through truck drivers and migrant workers. Surveys show that 5 to 10 percent of trick drivers in some areas of the country are infected with HIV. They should be one of the main target groups for prevention education strategies.