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44.23% dip in new HIV infections since ’10: Minister
India saw a 44.23% decline in new HIV infections from 2010 to 2022, exceeding the global rate, with significant focus on high-risk groups.
New HIV infections in India declined by 44.23% between 2010 and 2022, surpassing the global reduction rate of 39% during the same period, according to central government data released on World AIDS Day on Sunday.
The prevention progress update report 2023-24, released by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, revealed that HIV prevalence remains significantly higher among high-risk groups compared to the national adult prevalence of 0.20%. The rates are highest among people who inject drugs (9.03%), followed by transgender people (3.78%), men who have sex with men (3.26%), prison inmates (1.99%), female sex workers (1.85%), truckers (1.00%) and migrants (0.89%).
The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) phase V (2021-26) focuses on peer-led targeted intervention projects to accelerate reduction in new annual HIV infections across high-risk, at-risk and low-risk population groups.
Officials attribute India’s successful response to HIV/AIDS to evidence-based policymaking. “Over the past three decades, the process of generating evidence and planning programmes has advanced, extending from the national level to include state, district, and even sub-district levels which enabled National AIDS Control Programme to concentrate its efforts on the most relevant geographic areas and populations, with a more targeted and adaptable response to the evolving epidemic,” the government document stated.
Speaking at a World AIDS Day event in Indore, Union health minister JP Nadda emphasised introducing HIV awareness in school curricula. “The effort should be made to create mass awareness... education related to HIV should be brought to schools, especially for students in classes 9th and 10th. We shouldn’t shy away from discussing this topic openly,” he said.
Nadda highlighted India’s progress in HIV treatment accessibility. “From a time when there was no medicine for AIDS, to dealing with over-expensive medicines to now becoming a net supplier of HIV medicines to the world, India has come a long way in its fight against AIDS. Today, India is taking a lead in AIDS control by producing the most affordable as well as effective medicines and sharing them with the neediest. The Union government provides free medicines for AIDS patients,” he said.
India has also witnessed a 79% decline in AIDS-related deaths. The country has adopted an ambitious 95-95-95 target, aiming to detect 95% of AIDS cases, provide antiretroviral therapy to 95% of detected cases, and achieve viral load suppression in 95% of treated patients. Currently, 81% of people with AIDS have been identified, 88% receive ART, and viral load has been suppressed in 97% of identified cases.
“World AIDS Day is a moment to reiterate that we are all together in the fight against AIDS, as well as to remember and re-dedicate the efforts of those people who have fought against this disease and lost their loved ones as well,” Nadda said.
