Technical Consultation to Review HIV Surveillance in India

Since the first HIV infection was reported in India in 1986, the epidemic continues to grow. India has the third highest HIV burden in the world with an estimated 2.5 million (range: 2–3.1 million) people living with HIV in 2006. HIV surveillance in India began in 1985 and has substantially expanded over the years. Presently, the following mechanisms are used to track the epidemic: HIV sero surveillance for different populations in 1122 sentinel sites; nationally representative behavioural surveillance surveys in a sample of 100 000 general population and 20 000 in populations with high-risk behaviours; AIDS case reporting from all states; and surveillance for STIs from more than 900 facilities across the country.

This report summarizes the discussions and recommendations of the Technical Consultation to Review HIV Surveillance in India.