Why India?

Firstly, we wanted to implement what we have learnt in contributing to the country's vulnerable and developing health situation.

India has had a sharp increase in the estimated number of HIV infections, from a few thousand in the early 1990s to around 5.1 million children and adults living with HIV/AIDS as of 2003. With a population of over one billion, the HIV epidemics in India will have a major impact on the overall spread of HIV in Asia and the Pacific and indeed worldwide.

Also, India has a large population and population density, low literacy levels and consequently low levels of awareness, and consequently HIV/AIDS is one of the most challenging public health problems ever faced by the country. Globally it is second only to South Africa in terms of the overall number of people living with HIV.

It is experiencing rapid and extensive spread of HIV. This is particularly worrisome since India is home to a population of over 900 million. As a single nation it has more people than the continents of Africa, Australia and Latin America combined.

Thus, a major international and governmental effort is necessary to respond effectively to this severe epidemic.