India's AIDS Epidemic: ActionAid Fights for Education, Treatment
India has the largest number of AIDS orphans in the world. Of the 2.5 million people in India living with HIV & AIDS, nearly 40 percent are women and a full third are below the age of 30.
People living with HIV and AIDS in India face exponentially multiplied threats. Hunger – an all too common condition among the most vulnerable population – weakens the body’s ability to fight the disease. Medicines are prohibitively expensive, with antiretrovirals available to less than ten percent of patients. Poor government health systems put quality care out of reach for most people, particularly in rural areas.
Children – among whom infection rates are rising – often lose their parents when they still need them most. Orphaned children face a stigma and discrimination that is often more vicious than the disease.
Recent years have seen a disturbing trend of rising new infections in women, young people and children, pointing to the epidemic spreading to the general population and especially in rural areas.
ActionAid is taking sides with the poorest, most affected and most vulnerable people in 12 states across India. We are using our 'Rights First' approach to confront and combat the AIDS threat. We are campaigning with the government, national and international agencies for better health facilities, medicines, treatment and care for the poorest and most excluded people. We work through partnerships with other NGOs, networks and community groups of positive people, sex workers, women, youth, sexuality minorities and children.
The focus of our work is on building capacities of people to face the epidemic by being aware and accessing all available information and services for prevention, treatment, care and support. Some of our projects also provide practical support for health, education and livelihood for the worst affected.
We believe in the greater and more meaningful involvement of people living with HIV and this reflects in our fellowship program. ActionAid provides fellowships to 25 positive people who have emerged as leaders through efforts at self-development and community work. Peer education through our in-house training program called Ripples of Learning is helping sex workers and positive people in our projects to deal with the epidemic, armed with practical knowledge and skills. Stepping Stones, ActionAid’s widely acclaimed tool for sustained behavior change in communities is increasingly being implemented within and outside ActionAid. Please help us put an end to this scourge.
