Mumbai, Dec 01 : Hundred and nine months are left to meet the deadline to end AIDS by 2030 as per the 2017 National Health policy of government of India and UN Sustainable development goal adopted by our country, it was reported Today.

The World AIDS Day is observed globally on December 1 every year to take stock of the situation that includes current scenario, mitigation strategies, what has been achieved and what is yet to be achieved and how best to move further. It is no more a day for candle-light vigils in the memory of departed souls due to HIV infections, as was to be observed during initial years.

Speaking on the occasion, the People Health Organisation (PHO) General Scretary DR I S Gilada said that India, with other nations globally, have promised to end AIDS by 2030 as per the 2017 National Health Policy of Government of India and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by our country.

However, akin to the maxim “Man proposes – God disposes”, we were put in a tight-spot. Grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic for almost two years, the other crucial health issues like HIV, Tuberculosis and other infectious and non-infectious diseases and health emergencies and exigencies got neglected in India and elsewhere. That resulted in non-achievement of WHO target 90-90-90 by 2020, which was set for 90 per cent of people with HIV should know their status, 90 per cent of HIV infected people who know their status should be put on Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART) and 90 per cent of those on ART should have their HIV-Viral loads suppressed.(UNI)