Dr. Vijayakumar Edward oversees World Vision’s HIV and AIDS response in India.
He says the country is sitting on an HIV time bomb. “In time it will explode. If action is not fast and swift, we can end up with an awful crisis like the one in Africa.”

Higher Rates in Some Regions
In some Indian states, the number of infected people is five times higher than the national average, and even higher among high-risk groups such as sex workers or truckers.

Different social, cultural, and economic factors come into play in each region. But poverty is the common denominator. Poverty has forced millions of people to leave home in search of work. These migrant workers have the potential to spread the virus to states that have a low prevalence of HIV.

How the Virus Spreads
A man leaves his family in the village to find a job. In the city, he spends some of his wages on a sex worker, and contracts the HIV virus. As he travels to look for more work, he passes the virus on to sex workers in other states. On his return home, he infects his wife and she, in turn, could pass the disease on to their unborn or nursing children.

World Vision is There
World Vision is working with children affected by HIV and AIDS in Manipur State. Staff members operate a school for nearly 100 children who have been orphaned by AIDS or whose parents are HIV-positive. Without this project, most of these children would not be able to attend school because the cost of tuition and school supplies is too high. World Vision also provides support to parents through counselling and income-generating projects.

In partnership with other non-governmental organizations, World Vision is working to prevent the spread of HIV among girls and women. Special emphasis is placed on reducing girls’ and women’s vulnerability and empowering them to protect themselves from infection.