New Delhi: Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj on July 26 announced that HIV vaccine had been prepared in the country and its clinical trials were on.

Attending a convention of Parliamentary forum on HIV/AIDS, she hoped that India would be the first country to develop a cure for the deadly disease.

"HIV vaccine is ready in India. It is undergoing clinical trials," the Minister said after Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani emphasised the need for a four-pronged strategy to counter the challenge urgently.

Advani pointed out that HIV/AIDS had devastated families, destabilised communities and shattered national economies with little hope of recovery for decades to come.

"The alarm bell is ringing. The bell is not for waking us up for we in India have already woken up to the challenge of HIV/AIDS," he said adding the country has been "forewarned by statistics".

He spelt out four inter-related actions – prevention, treatment, education and awareness creation and research – to tackle AIDS challenge.

"It is not enough to spread the message about safe sex. It should a part of a larger message, about a responsible and fair lifestyle," Advani said pointing out that HIV/AIDS was "essentially a lifestyle disease".

He said education and awareness creation have to take into account the entire medical, sociological, cultural and economic aspects of the problem.

PTI