An undentified Indian Injected Drug User (IDU) who received a new syringe as part of a 'syringe exchange programme' prepares to take heroin at a hideout in Imphal on November 18, 2008. Accurate estimates of HIV indicate that approximately 2.5 million (2 million3.1 million) people in India were living with HIV in 2006, with national adult HIV prevalence of 0.36%. Although the proportion of people living with HIV is lower than previously estimated, Indias epidemic continues to affect large numbers of people according to UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS). The northeast of India which borders the opium-producing Golden Triangle of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos has been declared one of India's high-risk zones with close to 100,000 people infected with HIV, many of whom are intravenous drug users. AFP PHOTO/Deshakalyan CHOWDHURY / AFP PHOTO / DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY
In September 2018, there were 954 new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases recorded nationwide, according to the Department of Health.
The figure was slightly higher compared to 938 cases recorded in the same period last year. Of the 954 new cases, 24 deaths were reported. —Marielle Medina, Inquirer Research
