The Union health ministry's Red Ribbon Express programme, the world’s largest mass mobilization programme against HIV/AIDS, has concluded after successful journey of more than 25000 kms through 22 states and sensitizing about 80 lakh people at 152 stations across the country.

The health ministry had re-launched the ‘Red Ribbon Express’ programme with the aim to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS among the masses, especially the vulnerable group of young people and fighting stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in the country. The year-long programme was launched on its second phase on December 1, 2009.

The programme mobilized political leadership in states, districts and Panchayati Raj Institutions. The government had earlier launched the Red Ribbon Express programme in 2007 and discontinued after one year year. The Red Ribbon Express, which was a specially designed exhibition train carrying HIV prevention messages, started its journey to the masses on World AIDS Day on December 1, 2009 and concluded on December 1, 2010.

The Red Ribbon Express initiative is a powerful medium for the dissemination of HIV related information to the public for behavioural change which will be an important focus area of the programme. It is proposed to mainstream and include partners from various ministries as well as civil society to facilitate a coordinated multi-sectoral response.

There are an estimated 23 lakh people living with HIV in India. The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) has undertaken specific actions to control and reverse the epidemic and its efforts have yielded significant results as is evident in the declining HIV prevalence rates in the country. The Red Ribbon Express was once again put into action by NACO to consolidate these early gains. This multi-sectoral initiative on wheels, it was envisaged, would bring together peoples’ representatives, programme functionaries, opinion leaders, media, civil society and citizens to offer a coordinated response to the HIV epidemic in India.

As per latest statistics released by NACO, the estimated number of new annual HIV infections has declined by more than 50 per cent over the past decade. India has approximately 1.2 lakh new HIV infections in 2009, as against 2.7 lakh in 2000. The adult HIV prevalence at national level has continued its steady decline from estimated level of 0.41 per cent in 2000 through 0.36 per cent in 2006 to 0.31 per cent in 2009. Of the 1.2 lakh estimated new infections in 2009, the six high prevalence states account for only 39 per cent of the cases, while the states of Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat account for 41 per cent of new infections.