A man in the United States has been diagnosed with what researchers have long feared: a highly drug-resistant HIV strain. Although it remains to be conclusively proven that this is not a stray incident, the discovery nevertheless has set the alarm bells ringing. The common AIDS virus is a tough strain in the first place and has so far outpaced the researchers. Should the existence of the new virus be proved, for countries like Nepal with limited resources, the task of continuing the fight against AIDS would be much more difficult. The anti-retroviral drug regimen that the government now provides is yet to benefit all of those HIV-afflicted in Nepal. Fear of social ostracism has made those carrying the virus all the more reticent, not to mention those infected but ignorant about the danger of a disease that has so far afflicted over 50 million across the globe. Over 60,000-odd Nepalis are already HIV-infected, and the number is rising.

Much like elsewhere, those vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in Nepal include the migrant and the sex workers. Increased mobility of the people from hinterlands and lack of awareness are now helping the disease break barriers. But until very recently efforts to curb HIV spread were limited to prevention strategy alone. But in an age of scientific progress, new anti-retroviral drugs are emerging and the switch from HIV to AIDS is being slowed down. That should underline the importance of why treatment and rehabilitation line of strategy is no less vital. Although NGOs and INGOs are working with the government to spread awareness, encourage safe sex and even provide drugs for some of the afflicted, the latter are still an agonised lot as the mainstream public is not convinced about accepting such individuals into its fold. Those working to stop HIV spread also need to do everything to break the social barrier which has been almost impregnable until now. That cannot be dismissed as unimportant.

In India, anti-AIDS vaccine tests on humans were carried out last week for the first time. While it will take about eight years for any vaccine to be available if the tests yield fruitful results, the time gap, however, is crucial. A lot of damage will have been done and lives lost in the meantime. Even if new and virulent strains emerge and as the scientific community grapples to find a cure for it, those in the least developed world like Nepal must not be deprived of existing anti-retroviral drug therapy. Countries like Uganda, for example, have succeeded in reducing the AIDS affliction rate from 31 per cent to 4 per cent. That is unimaginable by abandoning the infected lot. Hence, a two-pronged strategy consisting of prevention and rehabilitation offers the best possible solution.