ART can help HIV positive person live normal lifespan: Expert

The modern anti-retoviral therapy (ART) has changed the course of treatment of HIV disease as the person diagnosed with the disease at an early age can live a normal lifespan, if the therapy is started promptly, a medical expert claimed today.
The ART is also highly effective in preventing the sexual, parental and vertical transmission of HIV, renowned physician Dr Kutikuppala Surya Rao said addressing the mediapersons on the occasion of World AIDS Day.
"Today, a person diagnosed with HIV at the age of 20 years, if started promptly on ART, is expected to live a normal lifespan, with highly preserved quality of life," Rao said.

"These medical breakthrough fostered the development of a treatment as prevention (TasP) strategy, the aim of which is to provide early access to HIV testing and treatment to prevent progression of AIDS and premature death as well as HIV transmission," he said.
According to International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) guidelines 2015, an estimated 50 per cent of people living with HIV globally are unaware of their status.
Among those who know their HIV status, many do not receive anti-retroviral therapy in a timely manner, fail to remain engaged in care, or do not achieve sustained viral suppression.

Rao said the United Nations has formally embraced TasP as it proposed a new global target for HIV treatment, referred as to the 90-90-90 target.

The new target proposes that by 2020, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV should know their HIV serostatus, 90 per cent of people who know their HIV positive status should be receiving sustained ART and 90 per cent of those on ART should achieve sustained viral suppression, said Rao, who is a specialist in treatment of HIV/AIDS.
"It suggests that meeting the 90-90-90 target by 2020 may decrease AIDS incidence, AIDS-related deathsand new HIV infections by 90 per cent..., according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS," he said.

According to official figures, more than 35 million people across the world have died of the HIV/AIDS infection between 1981 and 2015.
Despite improved preventive measures such as condoms as well as improved ART, the problem still remains a worry across the globe, Surya Rao said.