The AIDS virus has killed more than 25 million people world over ever since it was first detected in 1981. And there are currently an estimated 40 million people living with the disease. About 8000 people die of HIV every day and another 6000 people between the age of 15 and 24 contact the virus on a daily basis. According to a 2005 UNAIDS report, India has the largest HIV infected population with as many as 5.7 million cases, surpassing that of South Africa's 5.5 million cases. The report further states only 7 per cent of those who need treatment in India are getting it today. The first case of HIV infection in India was diagnosed among commercial sex workers in Chennai in 1986. Soon after, a number of screening centres were established throughout the country. Early 1987, a National AIDS Control Programme was launched with activities covering surveillance, screening blood and blood products and health education. In 1992 the National AIDS Control Organization was established and it carries out India's National AIDS Programme, which includes the formulation of policy, prevention and control programmes. The central government also launched a Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS prevention under the National AIDS Control Project. The Project established the administrative and technical basis for programme management and also set up State AIDS bodies in 25 states and 7 union territories. Over 35,000 patients are being given free treatment from NACO. It claims to provide free AIDS treatment to 85,000 people within a month. The capacity would be increased to handle one lakh patients by March 2007. A key factor that holds back faster control of the disease is the high cost of treatment in India and developing countries. Average cost of medicine is about 700 dollars for treating a patient using generic drugs in an year. As majority of patients in India are poor, they cannot afford the cost of medicine and are surviving only because of the support of international charities. Currently, a dozen or more drugs used for the treatment are patented and owned by MNCs like GSK, Merck, Roche and Gilead. As long as patents for some of their highly effective drugs are not granted in India, companies like Cipla, Ranbaxy, Aurobindo, Hetero, etc. are able to produce their generic versions far cheaper rates and supply in India and other countries. But the possibility of granting patents to these MNCs may turn out to be a major stumbling block to all initiatives to contain the disease in the country. GSK patent application for a combination drug, Combivir and Gilead's patent application for tenofovir are the latest threat to the Indian patients. Considering India's capacity to produce quality generic drugs at affordable prices, the central government has to take a bold decision of not granting patents for any anti-AIDS drugs in this time of global medical emergency.