AP Aims At AIDS-Free Status By 2030: Satyakumar
New HIV cases hve decreased from 25,000 to 13,000 a year, in a span of the past 10 years. Public awareness campaigns, especially among youth, further reduced prevalence from 0.10 per cent to 0.04 per cent, he said.
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh is aiming to be an AIDS-free state by 2030, health minister Satya Kumar Yadav has said.
Speaking at a world AIDS day event organised by the state AIDS control society at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram here, he said coordinated efforts of the Centre and AP have sharply reduced HIV positivity in AP —from 2.34 per cent a decade ago to 0.58 per cent now.
New HIV cases hve decreased from 25,000 to 13,000 a year, in a span of the past 10 years. Public awareness campaigns, especially among youth, further reduced prevalence from 0.10 per cent to 0.04 per cent, he said.
The government provides anti-retroviral therapy medicines worth `35,000–40,000 a year free of cost to each of the affected through 59 ART centres.
To address stigma associated with HIV testing, the state introduced 15 Mobile ICTC units with central support, enabling testing in remote and underserved areas. “Despite progress, AP is still the second-highest in HIV prevalence nationally, which is unfortunate,” he said.
AIDS-related deaths have, however, dropped significantly.
Nearly 42,000 HIV-affected persons are currently receiving pensions. The remaining eligible beneficiaries would also be covered soon, he said.
Stating that HIV is no longer a death sentence, the minister recalled that patients registered at the first ART centre in Guntur in 2004 were still alive due to continuous treatment. However, he warned against complacency.
Yadav highlighted the plight of innocent children affected by HIV and expressed concern over the recent rise in HIV cases among IT employees.
He stressed the need for safe sex, open discussions in families, and regular awareness programmes in colleges.
Schools must not discriminate against HIV-positive students, he said, adding that HIV should be treated like any other manageable health condition.
Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Rammohan, district collector Lakshmisha, APSACS project director Neelakantha Reddy, senior health officials and medical experts participated in the event. Cultural performances by various groups marked the beginning of the programme.