Two-thirds of world's AIDS treatment drugs supplied by India

India supplies nearly two-thirds of world's antiretroviral drugs and plays a significant role in global fight against AIDS by helping scale up access to treatment across developing countries, according to an Indian diplomat.

First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to UN Paulomi Tripathi said at a General Assembly session on Monday that "remarkable progress" had been made in fight against HIV/ AIDS epidemic.

"However, significant challenges remain in our way towards eliminating HIV/ AIDS as a public health threat by 2030," Tripathi said at session titled 'Implementation of Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and Political Declarations on HIV/AIDS'.

Indian pharmaceutical industry supplies almost two-thirds of antiretroviral drugs used globally, helping scale up access to treatment across developing countries and significantly contributing in international fight against AIDS, she said.

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India has witnessed a more than 80 per cent decline in estimated new infection from peak of epidemic in 1995 and estimated HIV/AIDS related deaths have declined by 71 per cent since its peak in 2005.

re was an 84 per cent reduction in tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV in India by 2017, three years ahead of 2020 deadline.

Significant advances have been made in understanding, treatment, and prevention of HIV/AIDS globally, Tripathi said.

She said progress was possible due to involvement of communities, civil society and people living with HIV in policy and delivery of services and through intensified information, education and communication drive.

"It is time to focus on future challenges and invigorate research in key areas including better diagsis to identify maximum number of HIV-infected persons and expanding ART cover, developing vaccine and new treatments to alleviate need for lifelong ART and finally, preventing new cases of HIV infection," Tripathi said.

In India, a landmark HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act came into force from September 10 last year that provides a rights-based framework to ensure a dignified life without stigma and discrimination for people living with HIV.

"This Act is a milestone. It empowers a person living with HIV to report discrimination in fields of employment, health care services, educational services, public facilities, property rights, holding public office, and insurance," she said.

Former Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda said at a high-level General Assembly meeting on HIV/AIDS in 2016 that 80 per cent of drugs used globally to combat deadly AIDS were supplied by Indian pharmaceutical firms.

low-cost generic medicine has helped scale up access to HIV treatment across developing countries, he said.

India had faced "spectre of disastrous consequences" on account of AIDS epidemic 15 years back but was able to man challenge effectively.

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country today is significantly contributing in global fight against AIDS as more than 80 per cent of antiretroviral drugs used globally are supplied by Indian pharmaceutical industry, Nadda had said.

In 2017, India had 2.1 million HIV/AIDS patients, third largest number in world. About 750,000 people depend on free distribution of drugs through government-run centres, according to National Aids Control Organisation.

Over 80,000 new infections and 69,000 AIDS-related deaths occurred in India in 2017, it said.