Over 99.7% of India’s population is free from HIV : 

Dr RK Sood

 

INDIA REPORTER NEWS

DHARAMSHALA : IR CORRESPONDENT

RAJESH SURYAVANSHI

Over 5000 stakeholders from Kangra, HP including ICTC, STI Clinics, Blood Bank, Red Ribbon Clubs& NGOs, Youth attended National Virtual Event on World AIDS Day through online mode. The theme of World AIDS Day is “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility”. On this World AIDS Day let us recognise that, to overcome covid-19 and end AIDS, the World must stand in solidarity and share responsibility.

District AIDS Programme Officer Dr RK Sood stated that over 99.7% of India’s population is free from HIV, the focus of India‘s National Programme has been on prevention of spread of HIV, while ensuring access to non stigmatized treatment and care for all HIV infected persons. As India embarks on the ambitious goal of achieving ‘End of AIDS’ as a public health threat by 2030 -currently 76% of PLHIV are aware of their HIV status (first90) and 84% of PLHIV who know their HIV status are on ART (second 90) and 84% PLHIV have been virally suppressed (third90).

Latest HIV Estimates, 2019 show the overall HIV prevalence among adult population to be 0.22% with around 23.49 lakh people living with the HIV in 2019. It is estimated that there were around 69,220 new HIV infections in the country during 2019, indicating a 37.4 % decline in new HIV infections during 2010-2019. During the same period, HIV/AIDS related deaths also declined by 66.1%. These achievements provide the much necessary impetus to keep moving forward with more zeal and vigor towards the larger goal of elimination of AIDS.

CMO Kangra Dr Gurdarshan Gupta shared that during COVID times,ART drugs were provided near to the patients home through ICTC staff. National toll free AIDS Helpline-1097 was made more active to reach out to people. NACO extended its care and support mechanism during COVID. Major benefits were related to nutritional and dry ration support and smooth access of masks and sanitizers for health and hygiene purpose for high risk groups like sex workers.

No child is born with HIV, Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission is an important goal to achieved at the earliest. NACO has been pursuing to ensure that every pregnant woman undergoes HIV testing at the earliest.

Govt of India’s “Test and Treat” policy launched in 2017 has reached a new horizon. Early treatment plays an important role in viral suppression thereby decreasing viral transmission. Though mission Sampark which was launched by NACO to augment Test and Treat Policy, PLHIV who were lost to follow up have been tracked and linked back to ART services.

The basic target remains that of Three Zeros’ – i.e. zero new infections, zero AIDS related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination.Elimination of stigma and discrimination is pivotal to National AIDS Prevention and Control Programme. The recent enactment of the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 is a major step.

One of NACOs major innovations has been the prison intervention, here the inmates are provided with comprehensive HIV-TB prevention and treatment services. NACO has covered more than 1200 prisons and other closed settings such as swadhar and ujjawala homes across India.

Youth of Red Ribbon Clubs have been leading the prevention revolution by acting as role models. With participation of all sections of society, we will be able to meet goals successfully. A Month long campaign will be conducted to raise further awareness among all sections of society and to create enabling environment.

 

 

Pic- District AIDS Programme Officer attending the online event.