Speaker

Dr. Ishwar Gilada, Mumbai

Consultant in HIV/STDs, Unison Medicare & Research Centre,

President-Emeritus, AIDS Society of India (ASI) &

Governing Council Member, International AIDS Society (IAS)

About the Speaker

Dr. Ishwar Gilada, a distinguished HIV, STDs, and Infectious Diseases Consultant based in Mumbai, is a trailblazer in India’s fight against AIDS. With a stellar career spanning 38 years, Dr. Gilada serves as the President of the AIDS Society of India and Secretary General of Peoples Health Organisation – India. He was the first person to raise the alarm against AIDS in India in 1985 and played a visionary role in establishing India’s first AIDS Clinic at the government-run JJ Hospital in 1986. Additionally, he founded the first private comprehensive HIV clinic in India, Unison Medicare and Research Centre, Mumbai, in 1995. Initiating 38 impactful HIV intervention projects across India, he has made significant contributions to the field through over 300 publications and extensive training programs. Globally recognised for his expertise, he has received 80 awards, including the coveted Annemarie Madison International Award in Munich, earning him the title ‘The Indian Machinegun against AIDS’ in 1999.

Lecture Abstract

HIV disease, while being an infectious disease, is fundamentally an immunological disorder. Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) achieves viral suppression in a person living with HIV (PLHIV) but may not necessarily improve immunological stability. The only marker that can gauge an individual’s immune status is the count of CD4 +ve cells. Even among virally suppressed individuals, a low CD4 count can lead to susceptibility to various opportunistic infections, some of which can be life-threatening. This session will cover how CD4 cells play an important role in HIV progression and their significance in guiding treatment decisions.

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