World AIDS Vaccine Day: Disease epidemic in India, mRNA vaccine, need for Covid vaccination in Africa | India News

By Abhishek Sankhyayan

World AIDS Vaccine Day or HIV Vaccine Awareness Day is held worldwide on May 18th each year. The concept of HIV Vaccine Awareness Day came from a speech by former US President Bill Clinton in 1997. So he emphasized the need for vaccines to contain and eradicate deadly illnesses. Now let’s examine the epidemic of AIDS in the states of India and the importance of co-vaccination of African countries.

The world is betting on the mRNA platform

Efforts to develop a vaccine against HIV began 35 years ago. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) began its first clinical trial in 1987, but still could not find a breakthrough. Meanwhile, scientists who have successfully launched the covid vaccine in record time are very keen on mRNA platform technology. In March 2022, the National Institute for Allergic Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institute of Health, launched a phase I clinical trial evaluating three HIV vaccines based on the messenger RNA (mRNA) platform. bottom.

This study will investigate whether these three HIV mRNA vaccines are safe and can elicit the required immune response. The names of the mRNA vaccines are 1) BG505 MD39.3 mRNA, 2) BG505 MD39.3 gp151 mRNA, and 3) BG505 MD39.3 gp151CD4KO mRNA.

AIDS-related deaths in the world and India

AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 64% since 2004, according to UNAIDS data. In 2020, about 680,000 people worldwide died of AIDS-related illnesses. This is a significant decrease from the peak of 1.9 million in 2004.

A similar trend can be seen in India. According to NACO data, HIV claims 51,000 deaths in India in 2020, an almost 80% reduction from the peak deaths of Rs 25,000 in 2005.

HIV doubles the risk of COVID19

Studies in the United Kingdom and South Africa show that people infected with HIV are twice as likely to die of COVID-19 as others.

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to two-thirds (67%) of people living with HIV. However, they cannot procure enough COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves. According to the latest report by ourworldindata.org, only 17% have been fully vaccinated.

According to reports, 32 countries in Africa and Asia reported a 41% reduction in HIV testing and 37 diagnosis and treatment referrals during the first COVID-19 blockade in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. % Decreased.

Andhra Pradesh Tops of AIDS-related Death

According to official data, in 2020, Andrapradesh (7070) will have the highest AIDS-related deaths, with Maharashtra (4037) and Karnataka (4060), Uttar Pradesh (2000) and Bihar (1077). ), Telangana (1.52,000 people), followed. In addition, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh were other states with an estimated ARD (AIDS-related deaths) of over 1000 in 2020.

Maharashtra has the best PLHIV

According to NACO data, the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in India in 2020 was estimated to be Rs. 23.19 million. Maharashtra (3.90 lac) has the highest number of PLHIV, followed by Andhra Pradesh (3.03 rac) and Karnataka (2.55 lac). In addition to its Uttar Pradesh (1.61 larks), Telangana, Tamil Nadu (1.58 larks respectively), Bihar (1.30 larks) and Gujarat (1.04 larks) were other states that had a PLHIV estimate of 1 larks or more.

Nebraska has a high HIV positive rate

In 2020, northeastern states such as Mizoram (2.37%) had the highest HIV positive rates for adults, followed by Nagaland (1.44%) and Manipur (1.15%). Andhra Pradesh (0.66%), Meghalaya (0.53%), Telangana (0.48%) and Karnataka (0.45%) were other states with an adult prevalence of over 0.40%. In addition to these states, the estimated adult HIV positive rates in Delhi, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, Punjab, Goa and Tamil Nadu were higher than the national positive rate (0.22%).