Updated Guidelines on PEP

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new evidence-based guidelines, "Updated Guidelines for Antiretroviral Postexposure Prophylaxis after Sexual, Injection-Drug Use, or Other Nonoccupational Exposure to HIV — United States, 2016" that provide updated recommendations for providers regarding non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) for exposure to HIV outside the healthcare setting. 

The new guidelines expand on the 2005 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommendations and are intended to help reduce the development of new HIV infections via effective nPEP administration to patients following a single exposure to blood, genital secretions, or other potentially infectious bodily fluids that may carry HIV. The 2016 updated guidelines include new scientific data from human and animal studies as well as information on pediatric dosing. In addition, it includes consideration of new antiretroviral drugs that were approved since the 2005 guidelines. 

66097 Tourists Arrived in August 2016 on e Tourist Visa

196.6% Growth in Tourists Arrival on e-Tourist Visa in August 2016 over the Same Period in 2015 

UK Continues to Occupy Top Slot followed by USA and China Amongst Countries Availing e-Tourist Visa Facility During August 2016 

A total of 66,097 tourists arrived in August 2016 on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 22, 286 during the month of August 2015 registering a growth of 196.6%

Commencing from 27th November 2014 e-Tourist Visa facility was available until 25th February 2016 for citizens of 113 countries arriving at 16 Airports in India. The Government of India has extended this scheme for citizens of 37 more countries w.e.f 26th February 2016 taking the tally to 150 countries. Status of achievements in respect of e-Tourist Visa availed by International tourists visiting India last year in 2015 has been surpassed in the first 06 months of the current calendar year 2016.

The following are the important highlights of e-Tourist Visa during August, 2016:-

(i) During the month of August, 2016 a total of 66,097 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 22,286 during the month of August, 2015 registering a growth of 196.6%.

(ii) During January- August 2016, a total of 6,06,493 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,69,976 during January-August 2015, registering a growth of 256.8% .

(iii) This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for 150 countries as against the earlier coverage of 113 countries.

(iv) The percentage shares of top 10 source countries availing e-Tourist Visa facilities during August, 2016 were as follows:

UK (19.4%), USA (13.2%), China (6.7%), France (6.4%), Spain (6.1%), UAE (5.5%), Germany (4.6%), Australia (3.7%), Canada (3.5%) and Korea Republic of (2.4%).

(v) The percentage shares of top 10 ports in tourist arrivals on e-Tourist Visa during August, 2016 were as follows:

New Delhi Airport (45.30%), Mumbai Airport (21.53%), Chennai Airport (8.82%), Bengaluru Airport (7.58%), Kochi Airport (4.60%), Hyderabad Airport (3.52%), Kolkata Airport (2.07%), Amritsar Airport (2.01%), Ahmadabad Airport (1.44%) and Trivandrum Airport (1.36%).

Over 66,000 travellers arrived in India on e-tourist visa in August this year, recording a growth of about 197 percent over the same period last year. Among the countries availing e-tourist visa facility, the UK occupied the top slot, followed by the US and China, the Union Tourism Ministry said in a statement. "During the month of August, 2016 a total of 66,097 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 22,286 during the month of August, 2015 registering a growth of 196.6 percent," it said. During January-August this year, a total of 6,06,493 tourist arrived on e-tourist visa as compared to 1,69,976 during the corresponding period last year, witnessing a a growth of 256.8 percent. "This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-tourist visa for 150 countries as against the earlier coverage of 113 countries," the statement said. Launched on November 27, 2014, the facility was initially available for citizens of 113 countries arriving at 16 airports in India.It was later extended for citizens of 37 more countries. Among the top 10 source countries availing the facility in August, the UK share was maximum with 19.4 percent, followed by the US (13.2 percent), China (6.7 percent), France (6.4 percent), Spain (6.1 percent), UAE (5.5 percent). The share of Germany was 4.6 percent, while that of Australia 3.7 percent, Canada 3.5 percent and Korea 2.4 percent.

PEP treatment if given within 8 hours, can help rape victims prevent HIV contraction

The initiative to administer this treatment should be taken by the relatives of the victim and also the law enforcement agencies which usually focus mainly on the crime angle, he suggested.

Rape victims can be prevented from contracting an HIV infection if a ‘post-exposure prophylaxis’ (PEP) treatment is given to them within eight hours of the sexual assault, a medical expert has claimed.

However, the treatment, which can prove to be life-saving for victims of sexual assault, is neither mandated nor is provided in India due to lack of awareness, AIDS Society of India (ASI) President Dr Ishwar Gilada told PTI.

“In cases of rape, along with legal aid a treatment of post-exposure prophylaxis should be immediately given to sexual assault victims. This will cut down the chances of infection to 100 per cent,” Gilada said.

A proactive three-day movement for creating public awareness for the use of PEP to prevent the spread of HIV infection in victims of sexual assault started in Mumbai from Saturday, where HIV clinicians from several medical faculties deliberated on how to put the evidences into a policy and take swift action.

“In a country like India, we have to work hard to put an end to sexual assault incidents. But warding off the fear of HIV infection is very easy, if all are made aware of the treatment,” he said.

The last few years have witnessed an alarming rise in rape cases in India. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics, 36,735 rape cases were reported in the country in 2014.

“In cases of rape, along with providing immediate trauma care, precaution should also be taken to ensure that the victim does not contract sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including HIV,” he said.

“In order to alleviate the danger of HIV infection, PEP should be administered to the victims. This is a short term, inexpensive and an anti-retroviral treatment (ART) which can prove effective if started within eight hours of the rape incident,” Gilada said.

The initiative to administer this treatment should be taken by the relatives of the victim and also the law enforcement agencies which usually focus mainly on the crime angle, he suggested.

ASI is a professional non-profit organisation of medical doctors and researchers in HIV/AIDS aiming to promote and disseminate clinically-oriented medical teaching and coordinated medical management of HIV disease.

National AIDS Research Institute’s (NARI) Director In-charge and ASI’s annual national conference ASICON 2015 Co-Chairman, Dr Raman Gangakhedkar said the latest WHO guidelines on HIV make available two key recommendations that were developed during the revision process this year, one of them being administration of PEP.

“Daily use of oral post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended as a prevention choice for people at substantial risk of HIV infection as part of combination prevention approaches,” Gangakhedkar said.

“In any case of sexual assault or an accidental exposure to HIV infection, like condom rupture between two partners, this treatment would help reduce the risk by 100 per cent. More and more awareness would help to control this infection in India,” he said.

In 2013, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had issued consolidated guidelines on the ‘Use of anti-retroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection: Recommendations for a public health approach’.

Incredible India Tourism Investor’s Summit 2016 IITIS

While the ambit of the travel and tourism industry in India is looking prospective, the government is looking at attracting national and international investments to explore new opportunities and improve core infrastructure.


The Ministry of Tourism announced a three-day event called the Incredible India Tourism Investor’s Summit 2016 (IITIS) as a significant platform for the investors across the globe to explore investment opportunities available in the tourism sphere of one of the fastest growing economies. The event is scheduled to take place at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, starting on 21 September. The landscape of India’s tourism sector has arguably brought a new paradigm of growth and development in creating employment, generating income and fostering entrepreneurship. However, foreign investment in the sector and branding the country as a hub of new business development keeping tourism as the key focus is yet to see remarkable development. Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the  Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Government of India, said in a statement that the domestic tourism sector is expected to attract investments to the tune of INR 500,000 million from around 600 projects during this three-day investors’ summit.


Investment system revolutionised

To change the investment policies across industries in India, which have not always had investor-friendly business models, this summit looks at showcasing the investment ecosystem in the tourism industry and help global investors understand the investment-ready projects in the country. A recent press note from the ministry outlines that this three-day event will strive to catalyze partnership in form of B2B linkages and identify opportunities for local players to move up the value chain through technical collaboration and global partnerships.

While the ministry is also trying to project the Indian tourism industry as a lucrative investment destination for the leading investors in the global travel and tourism sector, the investors can also expect tangible projects in various states and union territories of India.

Vinod Zutshi, the Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, explained how the tourism landscape in India is undergoing significant transformation. “The travel and tourism sector in the country presents a plethora of investment opportunities in areas of infrastructure development, both from India and overseas. With the streamlining of infrastructure in the core and tourism-related sectors through investments and partnerships between the public and private sectors, Incredible India can be catapulted amongst the most sought after destinations in the world,” Vinod said.
What to expect at the IITIS?

The tourism investment summit will have presentations from all states which have investible properties or projects, and sessions describing why India is the right market to invest at this critical juncture of global economic upswing.

There will be participations from major stakeholders, including states/UTs, with interesting projects related to the banks & financial institutions, business developers, cruise liners, domestic investors, entertainment companies, global investors, helicopter services, hoteliers, infrastructure-developers, international associations, restaurateurs, spa and yoga centres, tour and travel operators, urban developers, venture capitalist and civic amenity providers among others.

However, the highlight of the summit would be the 600 projects from across the country and from varied tourism sectors on the table of 140 investors from 70 different companies for final discussions. Complementing business discussions, there will be around 21 seminars across two days with some of the tourism industry leaders covering interesting thematic sessions on states and their tourism potential. International tourism boards from USA, UAE, Thailand, Hong Kong & Shanghai and Singapore will have their road shows alongside their Indian counterparts from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, made a presentation on IITIS during a press meet in New Delhi, where he promised the summit to hold innovative panel discussions on core infrastructure for tourism, sessions on start-ups, digital India, investing in ‘Swadesh Darshan’, MICE and niche tourism products keeping a special focus on the Northeast and its development.