HIV cases down 44%, AIDS deaths fall by 79%: Nadda

Sustained efforts by the government have ensured a low HIV epidemic level over the years, with new infections in 2023 almost 44 per cent lower than in 2020 and AIDS-related deaths declining by 79 per cent during the period, Health Minister JP Nadda said on Sunday.

Speaking at a function in Indore on the occasion of World AIDS Day, Nadda said from a time when there was no medicine for AIDS to dealing with over-expensive medicines and now becoming a net supplier of HIV drugs to the world, India had come a long way in its fight against the disease.

Highlighting that every person had the right to a dignified life, he urged everyone to include people with HIV in the mainstream. “Contrary to some beliefs, any person with HIV can live a long life today and can also have a healthy child without HIV infection,” the Minister said.

Alerts on tattoo risk

The Health Minister urged the youth to take precautions while getting tattoos made. “The youth should take precautions while getting tattooed. Today, we are getting to know that people are suffering from AIDS after getting tattoos,” he said.

Nadda said the current prevalence of AIDS was 0.70 per cent globally whereas it was 0.20 per cent in the country. He said after a long battle against AIDS, a strong medical system had been developed in the country to fight off the disease.

Underscoring the government’s commitment to achieve “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) by 2030, Nadda said, “India has adopted a 90-90-90 target for combating AIDS, which includes the target of detecting 90 per cent cases of AIDS in the country, 90 per cent of people to be treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 90 per cent to have their viral load suppressed.”

He said this target was later increased to 95-95-95, of which 81 per cent people with AIDS had been identified, 88 per cent were being given ART and the viral load of 97 per cent identified people had been suppressed.