In a serious bid to tackle AIDS, the Union government has launched a Rs 222.6 crore World Bank-assisted plan for the prevention and control of the disease. Part of the funding for the multisectoral programme has come from a $84 million (about Rs 252 crore) soft loan from the WB, a $1.5 million (about Rs 4.5 crore) grant from the World Health Organization, and the rest through Indian budgetary grants.

A status report on the national AIDS control programme points out that attention will be focused on states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and the northeastern states that have recorded higher infection rates, and on high risk behaviour groups.

The report revealed that the National AIDS Control Organisation reported 1,017 full-blown AIDS cases throughout the country upto the end of last year, while of the 2.43 million samples screened, 17,124 were found HIV positive.

The report also states that about 78 per cent cases had acquired the infection through heterosexual contact, 12 per cent through blood transfusion and 10 per cent as a result of intravenous drug use.