Friday, September 23 2005 20:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Shillong: Anti-HIV vaccine will be available in the country within three years and its clinical trial is on, President A P J Abdul Kalam said today (Sept 23, 2005).

"Hopefully by three years, it will be available in the market," he told a conclave on 'HIV/AIDS a uniformed Intervention' adding he had a talk with the Union Health Minister in this regard.

The conclave was organised by Assam Rifles Wives Welfare Association (ARWWA).

The President asked the Assam Rifles not to be cowed down by incidents of HIV/AIDS in its ranks and instead inculcate an indomitable spirit to defeat the disease.

There were 139 instances of HIV/AIDS, including 40 deaths in the security force, he said and asked ARWWA to conduct regular training programmes for the jawans to prevent future cases. He also suggested that the association to get in touch with the Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services to get good doctors for training purposes.

He dwelt at length how Asha Ramaiya, a HIV patient since 1995, whom he met at Bangalore in August, was overcoming all odds in her life with her indomitable spirit to fight the disease and the stigma attached to it, he said.

"As human beings, we may get into the problems. But we should not get defeated by the problem," he said reciting two Tamil couplets to stress on a vision of the future and to master the situation.