Delhi launches drive to trace 19,000 HIV patients who dropped out of treatment

Delhi's health department is tracing 19,000 HIV patients who dropped out of treatment, launching an outreach initiative to reconnect them with care.

Delhi’s health department is actively trying to trace nearly 19,000 people living with HIV who have dropped out of treatment, with officials launching a targeted outreach drive amid concerns over interrupted care and rising transmission risks.

Data from the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) shows that over 18,668 HIV-positive individuals in the capital are no longer in touch with treatment centres.

Data from the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) shows that over 18,668 HIV-positive individuals in the capital are no longer in touch with treatment centres, including thousands who never began antiretroviral therapy (ART) and others who discontinued it after starting care.

According to DSACS data from March 2026, Delhi has an estimated 65,445 people living with HIV. Of them, 4,703 patients have been categorised as permanently “lost to follow-up” (LFU) and are not on ART, while another 13,965 patients are permanently LFU despite having previously been linked to treatment.

A patient is classified as LFU after they stop visiting treatment centres and discontinue medical care and follow-up for a prolonged period, increasing health risks for themselves and the possibility of transmission to others.

Officials said Delhi’s high LFU numbers are closely linked to its status as a medical hub with a large migratory population.

“Delhi has a huge number of LFU cases because it is also a medical hub and has a migratory population. Sometimes, people get tested here and, as soon as they receive the result, they either go missing due to the presumed stigma or move back to their home states out of fear,” an official from the Delhi State AIDS Control Society, who did not want to be named, said.

“This leaves patients without care and treatment. It is not just a loss for them individually, but also increases the risk of transmission if treatment is interrupted,” the official added.

To address the issue, DSACS has launched a new outreach initiative called “Each One Reach One”, aimed at tracing and reconnecting LFU patients with HIV care, support and treatment services under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP).

“This problem is unique to Delhi and, to deal with it, the campaign is also unique. It aims to simply reach out and provide treatment, and other support to those diagnosed with HIV as timely treatment can ensure them almost normal life expectancy and less transmission risk,” said Samyak S Jain, project director, Delhi State AIDS Control Society.

Under the campaign, the “parent facility”, or the first centre where an HIV-positive individual was registered or diagnosed, will be tasked with tracing LFU patients and linking them back to treatment services.

“Parent facility has been given the ownership as they have two times contact with the patients -- first at the time of getting tested and, second, at the time of getting the report. The facility can also take the help of the NGOs to contact the missing patients, while ensuring that their HIV positive and LFU status is not revealed to others,” Jain said.

He added that facilities have been instructed to generate lists of LFU patients, prioritise vulnerable cases, and conduct outreach activities including phone calls, home visits where feasible, and community-based tracing through outreach workers, peer educators, targeted intervention NGOs and local support networks.

The campaign also includes weekly monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track progress in reconnecting patients to treatment.

Officials involved in the campaign said field workers have already encountered several cases where patients stopped treatment after moving away from Delhi or withdrawing socially following diagnosis. In several of these cases, repeated counselling and community outreach were required to persuade individuals to resume treatment and return to ART centres.

Officials said the campaign comes at a crucial stage as India works towards achieving the global “95-95-95” HIV targets; of ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of diagnosed individuals receive sustained treatment, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.