Though ART programmes are doing well in most countries, there are significant disparities between and within different geographical areas and populations, the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City heard.

Injecting drug users comprise almost 10% of people living with HIV but face many obstacles in treatment, noted Dr Paul Nunn of the WHO at the release of treatment guidelines for injecting drug users at the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.

The HIV epidemic in Asia and Africa among men who have sex with men is similar to the epidemic in the 1980s in the US and Europe, said Peter Piot, retiring director of UNAIDS, at the satellite meeting on gay men/MSM preceding the 2008 World AIDS Conference in Mexico City.

Sujata Rao, head of the National AIDS Control Organisation, explains in an exclusive interview with Rashme Sehgal, why the HIV/AIDS programme in India should be considered very successful.

Once every two years a high level UN meeting is held to assess the status of HIV/AIDS countrywise. This year, the report card showed some gains in access to treatment and increasing awareness, but emphasised that there was a long way to go to provide affordable drugs, universal access to treatment and gender equality, reports Ranjita Biswas

As preparation for the first meeting of the HIV TB Global Leaders' Forum at the United Nations on June 9, 2008, the Forum has put out a ‘call for action’ that reminds governments of the seriousness of the HIV-TB link and what actions they must take.

Each of the three phases of the National Aids Control Programme in India has focused on, or emphasised, different aspects of the HIV epidemic in efforts to contain the spread of the disease. M Prasanna Kumar traces the evolution of the programme over the years

HIV prevention costs and programme scale: data from the PANCEA project in five low and middle-income countries

Lincoln Priyadarshi Choudhury and V Raman Kutty reveal the findings of a survey of obstetricians' knowledge and practices in two districts in Kerala. The study, finds, among other things, that most providers are unaware of the value of the rapid screening test for HIV; they do not give pregnant women the option to refuse testing, and testing is done without counselling

If the developed world does not put in more resources to contain AIDS in resource poor countries, the epidemic will grow to unmanageable proportions, affecting everyone, says Mpho Selemogo