India urged to focus on Aids

India has been urged to focus on reducing the rate of infection for HIV in the country by health authorities.

UNAIDS has called for India to make sure it meets universal access goals relating to HIV prevention, as well as treatment and care for existing Aids patients.

Michel Sidibe, visiting India for the first time as executive director of the health organisation, noted that it is vital these aims are reached by 2010.

He met with government officials including health secretary K Sujatha Rao, with whom he discussed expanding access to HIV treatment.

Mr Sidibe also warned against complacency creeping into efforts to ward off the H1N1 virus and called for India to strengthen its role within worldwide health initiatives.

India has the largest number of people living with HIV in Asia. Around 2.4 million people suffer from the disease, with the majority of these aged between 15 and 49.

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