INDIA

The Heart Touch™ Project has surpassed its tenth anniversary of providing care to some of the most disadvantaged members of the Los Angeles community. Since early in our existence, that care has extended to children.

We recognize the great need for The Heart Touch™ Project to expand its mission of delivering compassionate touch to children on a global level. In 2007, We will embark on our first global mission serving the children living in AIDS orphanages in INDIA.

Sources: CIA.gov

INDIA Population     1,095,351,995 (July 2006 est.) HIV AND AIDS ESTIMATES Number of people living with HIV     5 700 000 [3 400 000 - 9 400 000] Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate     0.9 [0.5 - 1.5]% Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV     5 600 000 [3 400 000 - 9 300 000] Women aged 15 and up living with HIV     220 000 [100 000 - 370 000] Deaths due to AIDS     – [270 000 - 680 000] GENERALISED EPIDEMICS Children aged 0 to 14 living with HIV     - Orphans aged 0 to 17 due to AIDS     - The evidence of HIV was first documented in Chennai in southern India in 1986. From then until March 2004, 68,809 AIDS cases have been reported to the National AIDS Control Organization. India has a large number of people living with HIV/AIDS, second only to South Africa. By the end of 2002, there were an estimated 3.8-4.6 million PLWHAs (People Living with AIDS/HIV) in India. With a high prevalence of TB infection in India, the problem of TB related to HIV infection also poses a major public health challenge, particularly in the high HIV burden States. The exact magnitude of HIV among TB patients is unknown as routine surveillance of HIVamong TB patients in not undertaken.