In order to safeguard the victims of sexual assault against the possible contraction of HIV, the AIDS Society of India (ASI) has mooted a proposal to the Forum of Parliamentarians on HIV/AIDS to introduce the use of Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), a combination of anti-retroviral treatment (ART) meant for HIV negative individuals who get exposed to HIV through unprotected sex or infected blood or blood products.

"PEP is a short term, inexpensive, anti-retroviral treatment (ART) which can prove effective if started within 8 hours of the rape incident. The initiative to administer this treatment should be taken by the relatives of the concerned victim if her life needs to be saved, as also the law enforcement agencies. If started within eight hours and given for two to four weeks, it will guarantee 100 per cent prevention from HIV,"  said Dr I S Gilada, president, ASI.

He explained that PEP is relevant because more than half of the infected people do not know their HIV status. Our efforts to make the risk-takers understand their vulnerability have been inadequate. Besides this, only 30 per cent adults with advanced HIV infection are receiving ART (up from 6 per cent in 2005) while 20 per cent patients at free roll out are dead and 12.5 per cent have stopped ART in 2 years.

Dr Gilada also announced the hosting of ASICON 2013 in Mumbai from 13th to 15th December which will address larger issues related to prevention and cure of AIDS.

Around 15 international and 65 national speakers will deliberate on subjects related to HIV treatment, combinations to be used, adverse effects of drugs, opportunistic infections, HIV associated cancers, newer drugs and vaccines in pipeline. There will also be deliberations on multi-drug resistant, extremely drug resistant and totally drug-resistant (MDR/XDR/TDR) TB, challenging situation with MDR/XDR HIV, Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS) – a serious disease situation caused by regaining the lost immunity following successful ART.

ASI’s scholarship programme for post-graduate doctors will see over 120 young doctors from different parts of India presenting their studies through oral and poster presentations. ASICON 2013 is co-sponsored by National AIDS Control Organisation; Medical Council of India; Indian Council of Medical Research, Forum of Parliamentarians on AIDS, Department of Bio-Technology, Government of India (GoI), Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS), Association of Physicians in India (API) and Peoples Health Organisation (India).   

Dr Hussein Mwinyi, Minister of Health, Government of Tanzania and Dr Vijay Gavit, Minister for Medical Education and Drugs, Maharashtra will grace inaugural session; where as Dr V M Katoch, Secretary to GoI, Ministry of Health Research will deliver plenary on 13th December. Oscar Fernandes, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Chairman, Forum of Parliamentarians on HIV/AIDS will be the Chief Guest for closing ceremony.