AIDS:Threats-challenges and considerations in anaesthesia-what future beholds

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become a pandemic with ever looming danger of its transmission in health professionals. As such anesthesiologists and intensivists are exposed to potential risk of disease transmission on a daily basis. A continuous need is felt in this arena to prevent the catastrophic consequences of AIDS in our medical fraternity while treating such patients in operation theatres and critical care units Prioritization of safety measures should be mandatory for any health care provider. It requires a lot of attitudinal and behavioural modification and bridging of gaps in current preventive and precautionary measures, support from hospital authorities and an active role of governmental or regulating agencies to fill these gaps with appropriate global evidences is desirable and the need of the hour.