India

Welcome to the Global Campaign for Microbicides in India!

The Global Campaign for Microbicides supports the work of a growing advocacy initiative,driven by civil society, that has raises awareness around the need for female-initiated HIV prevention methods in India since 2001.

In India the Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) has focused on three specific aims, which support the goals of a global advocacy movement for microbicides:

Mobilize civil society in India to improve access to female-initiated HIV/STI prevention options
Build a conducive policy environment and influence the research agenda in India for the timely development, introduction and use of microbicides through evidence-based advocacy
Ensure that as research proceeds in India, public interest is protected and the rights and interests of trial participants, users, and communities are fully represented and respected.

In India, GCM offers on-going support and capacity-building to NGOs, community networks, researchers and policy makers through the facilitation of dialogue, trainings and a dedicated listserv; and by providing technical assistance, frequent updates and briefing papers.

The GCM India initiative is housed in the PATH India Country Office in New Delhi. PATH is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that improves the health of people around the world. To learn more about PATH programmes, visit www.path.org

GCM India team, Journalists training workshop: November, 2006

Click here to meet the Global Campaign for Microbicides Steering Committee members representing India.

Women and HIV/AIDS in India

The National AIDS Control Organization of India (NACO) now estimates that approximately 2-3.1 million people are living with HIV in India[1]. Previously it was thought that around 5 million people were living with HIV in India - more than in any other country. The use of new and improved data and enhanced methodology, however, led to a major revision of the prevalence estimate in July 2007.

Women and girls comprise approximately one-third of this group. There are many factors driving the HIV epidemic in India among women. Biological vulnerability, unequal power relations, and low economic and social status weaken women's ability to protect themselves and negotiate for safer sex. These factors render current prevention strategies – such as abstinence, mutual monogamy, partner reduction and condom negotiation – unfeasible for many women. In a recent study, conducted by the National AIDS Research Institute of India, 90% of the positive female participants had sex with only one person – their husbands[2].

Results from the HIV vaccine trials in India in 2003 suggest that it will take longer than initially expected to find an AIDS vaccine . While we don’t yet have a vaccine, we have made enormous progress in understanding how the virus works and even how to induce antibodies to significantly block HIV from infecting human cells – all steps towards finding a vaccine. Nevertheless it is important to simultaneously pursue research in other strategies to address HIV –especially those that are female-initiated. To learn more about research on the AIDS vaccine in India, check IAVI India's website On a hopeful note, the country has seen an increase in investments in prevention tools, voluntary counseling and testing and care and support from the government and donors[3]. The India government is now implementing the third phase of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP III), which will be implemented from 2007- 2011.

Efforts to develop other female-initiated prevention methods are also underway. India now houses both pre-clinical and clinical microbicides research. With guidance from the Female Health Company, Hindustan Latex Ltd. is producing FC2- a more-affordable female condom. With support from the Female Health Foundation, NACO, Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT) and other entities are looking at ways to increase access and scale-up the introduction of the female condom.HLFPPT has done a couple of operations research and has also facilitated a social marketing programme in one state in India.

Education on how to use technologies enhances access and utilization of technologies like female condoms

Education and counselling is key to access and use of female initiated technologies like female condoms

For more information on HIV/AIDS in India check out the following web links:

NACO: www.nacoonline.org/facts

UNAIDS: www.unaids.org.in

Avert: www.avert.org/aidsindia.

Microbicides in India: expanding choices

For the past several years, scientists and researchers in India have been at the forefront of HIV prevention research. Staffed with world-class investigators, research institutes in India– such as

the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National AIDS Research Institute, the Tuberculosis Research Centre and YRG Care and a handful of biotechs - have been involved in both the development of novel HIV vaccine and microbicides candidates as well coordinating large-scale trials.

Both HIV and reproductive health and rights advocates in India have worked closely with GCM in India to raise awareness around the need for female-initiated HIV prevention methods. Advocates have also helped raise the bar on the standards of ethics and conduct of clinical trials and have involved community throughout the process. As the science has moved forward, the Global Campaign supports the work of these groups.

Events and trainings in India

Over the years, the Global Campaign for Microbicides in India has convened and participated in several key trainings, consultations and events on microbicides and other female-initiated prevention options.

Recent events and activities include the following:

International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 19-23 August 2007
Screening of “In Women’s Hands: A Film on Women, HIV and Hope, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India, 5 April 2007
Positive People in India and Microbicides, Avalon Courtyard, New Delhi, India, 29 January 2007
Meeting on Rectal Microbicides Advocacy in India, PATH, New Delhi, India, 29 November 2006
Workshop for Journalist on Microbicides Research and Advocacy, New Delhi, India, 25 November 2006
“Increasing Choice: Female-Initiated Prevention Technologies”, a symposium at the Fourth Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights, Hyderabad, India, 29-31 October 2007
Regional Meeting on Regulatory Issues for Microbicides in Asia, New Delhi, India, 28-31 October 2007

GCM in India will convene or participate in the following upcoming events:

Screening of “In Women’s Hands: A Film on Women, HIV and Hope” to commemorate 16 of activism against gender violence, November 2007 (details to follow)

Protecting the rights and interests of trial participants, users and communities - An advocacy project of the Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM), an oral presentation at the Second National Bioethics Conference, Bangalore, India, 6-8 December 2007

GCM will be coordinating several events and activities at the Microbicides 2008 Conference, New Delhi, India, 24-27 February 2008: pre-conference advocates training, the “Advocates Corner” and several oral presentations. Join us at this important conference.

Stay tuned for upcoming events and more details!