HIV / AIDS in defence forces declining
India claims that the number of HIV / AIDS cases in the country's armed forces is continuously declining.
Advertisement
India claims that the number of HIV / AIDS cases in the country's armed forces is continuously declining.
With HIV / AIDS infiltrating the Indian defence forces, there has been a growing concern to reduce the number of such cases. The Defence Minister AK Antony said that there were 377 HIV positive cases in armed forces in 2006, as against 501 in 2001. The Government has been maintaining that the number of HIV / AIDS cases in the defence forces remain at just 0.028 per cent, a fraction of the national infection rate. However, there are reports that the figure could be as high as 4000. Earlier this year, there was a report on the rapid spread of HIV / AIDS in the armed forces that had alarmed authorities. Although the overall national prevalence is low, at below 1 per cent, the country has six "high-prevalence" states, two of which - Nagaland and Manipur - are in India's insurgency-wracked North-East, where military personnel are stationed in large numbers.
The Defence Ministry claimed that the first case of HIV in a soldier was detected in 1992 after the soldiers returned from a UN mission. Also, the Ministry informed earlier that in 2004 alone 104 HIV-infected soldiers were discharged from service. During peacetime, military personnel are up to five times more likely to contract sexually transmitted infections - including HIV - than the civilian population. In times of conflict, when soldiers are away from home for long periods, the risk is even higher.
India has one of the largest standing armies in the world, with 1.3 m active military personnel and 535,000 reserve force members. A recent internal assessment carried out by the Ministry reportedly found that, out of the total number of HIV positive cases, Indian Army had the largest share of 81 per cent, while the Indian Air Force and the Navy comprised only 2 and 10 per cent, respectively. The Defence Ministry and the Indian Army have initiated a number of measures to combat the spread of AIDS by making special efforts to spread awareness about the disease among soldiers and their family members.
The Government of India has stepped up surveillance of high-risk groups (blood donors, patients of sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis patients) and pregnant women.
In the Armed Forces monitoring is done of personnel proceeding abroad on peace keeping missions and returning from overseas assignments. The Armed Forces Medical Services are also running a comprehensive prevention and control programme of HIV / AIDS in close coordination with the National AIDS Control Organisation and United Nations AIDS Programme.
With HIV / AIDS infiltrating the Indian defence forces, there has been a growing concern to reduce the number of such cases. The Defence Minister AK Antony said that there were 377 HIV positive cases in armed forces in 2006, as against 501 in 2001. The Government has been maintaining that the number of HIV / AIDS cases in the defence forces remain at just 0.028 per cent, a fraction of the national infection rate. However, there are reports that the figure could be as high as 4000. Earlier this year, there was a report on the rapid spread of HIV / AIDS in the armed forces that had alarmed authorities. Although the overall national prevalence is low, at below 1 per cent, the country has six "high-prevalence" states, two of which - Nagaland and Manipur - are in India's insurgency-wracked North-East, where military personnel are stationed in large numbers.
The Defence Ministry claimed that the first case of HIV in a soldier was detected in 1992 after the soldiers returned from a UN mission. Also, the Ministry informed earlier that in 2004 alone 104 HIV-infected soldiers were discharged from service. During peacetime, military personnel are up to five times more likely to contract sexually transmitted infections - including HIV - than the civilian population. In times of conflict, when soldiers are away from home for long periods, the risk is even higher.
India has one of the largest standing armies in the world, with 1.3 m active military personnel and 535,000 reserve force members. A recent internal assessment carried out by the Ministry reportedly found that, out of the total number of HIV positive cases, Indian Army had the largest share of 81 per cent, while the Indian Air Force and the Navy comprised only 2 and 10 per cent, respectively. The Defence Ministry and the Indian Army have initiated a number of measures to combat the spread of AIDS by making special efforts to spread awareness about the disease among soldiers and their family members.
The Government of India has stepped up surveillance of high-risk groups (blood donors, patients of sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis patients) and pregnant women.
In the Armed Forces monitoring is done of personnel proceeding abroad on peace keeping missions and returning from overseas assignments. The Armed Forces Medical Services are also running a comprehensive prevention and control programme of HIV / AIDS in close coordination with the National AIDS Control Organisation and United Nations AIDS Programme.
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
Advertisement