Towards equitable and quality HIV prevention and care services: Assessing the situation in India

India has the second largest population in the world (CIA, 2007) with over a billion people living in the 593 districts which comprise India's 29 states (Government of India, 2001). In the past decade, India has emerged as an important force in the global landscape, becoming synonymous with leadership in computer technology as its popular culture gains world wide attention and appreciation. Technological progress has been centered in urban metropolitan cities where access to wealth and health care has increased dramatically. Over 75% of India's population, however, lives in rural areas under poor health and economic conditions which are marked by poor infrastructure and access to essential services (Patil et al., 2002). Regional differences also exist. Health and literacy indicators in southern states such as Kerala are at par with developed countries, while northern states such as Bihar and Orissa lag behind (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2006). Over all, the public health sector remains burdened with vector-borne illnesses, preventable conditions such as typhoid and water-borne illnesses and communicable diseases such as tuberculosis (TB).