London: Indian scientists are currently developing vaccines to tackle the scourge of AIDS and field trials would be held within a few months, Minister of State for Science, Technology and Ocean Development Kapil Sibal has said.

"Indian scientists on the job are developing the vaccine. In fact the trials would take place within a few months. The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) is in charge of it," Sibal said in an informal chat with newspersons last night (Jun 26, 2004).

He said, "The vaccine is going to come in 7 to 10 years down the road. In the meantime you need treatment and care."

Sibal was in London on a transit visit after attending the meeting of the International Board of AIDS Vaccine Initiative in Dublin in Ireland. India is a member of the International Board, which has a tripartite agreement with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Government of India.

The basic discussion at the meeting focused on AIDS vaccine. He said there is an all-party group in the House of Commons which dealt with the AIDS issues and he had a discussion with that group. He said there were three kinds of population linked to the spread of HIV - sex workers, intravenous drug users and migrant workers like truck drivers.

He said that Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra were among the high prevalent States and for each of the groups "we have to have separate strategies".