HIV/AIDS

Context:

Tamil Nadu’s public health model, which succeeded against HIV/AIDS in the 1990s, is now being replicated for TB elimination.

UPSC Relevance:

Science and Tech.

UPSC PYQ:

Q. Which of the following diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through tattooing? (2013)

1. Chikungunya
2. Hepatitis B
3. HIV-AIDS

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

About HIV?

• HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which is a virus that attacks the immune system in the human body.
• It primarily targets and damages CD4 immune cells, which are essential for the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases.

What is AIDS?

AIDS is the final and most serious stage of an HIV infection. People with AIDS have very low counts of certain white blood cells and severely damaged immune systems. 

What does HIV do to a person?

• HIV infects white blood cells of your immune system called CD4 cells, or helper T cells. It destroys CD4 cells, causing your white blood cell count to drop. This leaves you with an immune system that can’t fight off infections, even those that wouldn’t normally make you sick.
• HIV initially makes you feel sick with flu-like symptoms. 
• When your T-cells get very low or you begin to get certain illnesses that people with healthy immune systems don’t get, HIV has progressed to AIDS.

How does HIV spread?

• You can get HIV through the blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk and rectal fluids of an infected person. People of all sexes and sexual orientations can get infected with and spread HIV.
• The virus can enter your body through your mouth, anus, penis, vagina or broken skin. It can’t get through your skin unless you have a cut or wound. If you’re pregnant and have HIV, you can also pass the virus to the fetus.
• Having sex without a condom and sharing needles to take drugs are the most common ways that HIV spreads. Even if you feel fine, you can still give HIV to others.

What tests diagnose HIV?

There are three types of HIV tests: antigen/antibody tests, antibody tests and nucleic acid tests (NATs):

How is HIV treated?

• There is currently no cure for HIV, but there are many treatment options that can slow the progression of HIV significantly.
• HIV is treated with a combination of medicines (pills) taken by mouth every day. This combination of pills is called antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Tamil Nadu’s Model- A Case Study

• State-level autonomy:
  • 1994: Tamil Nadu converted its AIDS Cell into a Registered Society — TNSACS (Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society).
  • This allowed direct flow of funds, faster implementation, and freedom from bureaucratic delays.

• Aggressive awareness & behaviour-change campaigns
  • Targeted messaging helped reduce stigma and risky behaviours.
  • Strong surveillance & reporting systems
  • Partnership model
  • Government + NGOs + World Bank support.

Outcome

• Tamil Nadu’s HIV prevalence fell from 0.54% (2000) to 0.22% (now).
• The Government of India later mandated the Tamil Nadu model for all states in NACP-II (1997–2002).

👉 Tamil Nadu became a national leader in HIV control.

TB Crisis in India:

• According to WHO:
  • India also has 25% of the world’s MDR-TB cases.
  • 25% of all global TB cases (36 million people) are in India.
  • Around 25% of AIDS deaths in India are due to TB.

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