Wednesday, June 8 2005 14:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: The Indian Government was conscious of the threat posed by the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country and was actively putting in place measures to contain the disease, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ambumani Ramadoss yesterday (Jun 7, 2005) said.

Though the spread of AIDS was slow in 2004 compared to 2003, according to a joint World Health Organisation (WHO)/Government of India survey, there is no complacency among authorities on the pandemic, Ramadoss said in an address to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"We have come a long way in India. From the days when no one wanted to discuss it or talk about prevention by greater use of condoms. All that has now changed. From the Prime Minister down, everyone was conscious of the threat and is actively taking part in remedial measures," he said.

Listing the steps taken by the Government to contain the pandemic, the Minister said, a Parliamentary taskforce on the disease has been set up, which has representatives of all political parties in it.

Efforts are being made to spread condom usage in every village in India and the country now has a national blood safety policy with very stringent norms, he said.

Two vaccines against HIV are to undergo trials, Ramadoss said adding the Government is proposing legislation to prevent discrimination in schools against students who have contracted the disease.

"We are committed to treating 100 per cent of the patients free of cost," he added.