HIV positive patients under treatment up 3 lakh in 4 years

NEW DELHI: The number of HIV positive patients under treatment in India has gone up by nearly three lakh, from 13.8 lakh in 2019-20 to almost 16.9 lakh in 2023-24, the govt told Lok Sabha on Friday.

Minister of state for health Anupriya Patel, in a written reply to a Parliament question raised by TMC MP Mala Roy, stated that of the total HIV positive patients under treatment at present, 8.7 lakh are men, just over 8 lakh are women, and 6,637 are transgenders.

Maharashtra has the maximum patients at 2.4 lakh, followed by Andhra Pradesh (2.2 lakh), the govt said. Delhi has 39,094 HIV positive patients under treatment.

World AIDS Day is marked on Dec 1. This year's theme, 'Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!' is a rallying cry for accessible, rights-based healthcare that empowers those affected by HIV/AIDS to live vibrant and fulfilling lives, WHO has said.

According to the UN health body, close to 4 crore people globally live with HIV, and 13 lakh new infections were reported in 2023, far exceeding the 2025 target of fewer than 3,70,000. In the WHO South-East Asia Region alone, which includes India, there are approximately 39 lakh people living with HIV, representing 10% of the global burden.

"While we have made significant strides in reducing HIV/AIDS rates through strong national commitments, we must acknowledge the ongoing challenges that persist," WHO South-East Asia regional director Saima Wazed said. "There are 80,000 children and adolescents aged 0-14 estimated to be living with HIV, comprising 2% of total HIV cases in the region, predominantly due to vertical transmission (mother-to-child). Approximately 53,000 infants are born with congenital syphilis. These children are one too many as there are effective interventions to eliminate mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, labour, and childbirth. They face a multitude of complex issues while growing up, living with the HIV virus."