New Delhi: On the back of several concentrated efforts and initiatives, the prevalence of new annual HIV infections has decreased by 44 per cent since 2010, outperforming the global reduction rate of 39 per cent, Anupriya Singh Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, stated during a high-level side event at the United Nations.
In her address, the Union Minister said, “As per the recent India HIV Estimations 2023 report, over 2.5 million people are living with HIV in India. Thanks to concerted efforts, adult HIV prevalence stands at 0.2 per cent, and estimated annual new HIV infections are around 66,400. New annual HIV infections have decreased by 44 per cent since 2010, outperforming the global reduction rate of 39 per cent.”
“India offers comprehensive HIV and Syphilis testing to all pregnant women, with more than 30 million free HIV tests conducted annually. In total, more than 1.7 million people are receiving free Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) through public healthcare systems,” she added.
Patel also highlighted that India is the world’s largest supplier of anti-retroviral drugs, accounting for over 70 per cent of global production. The country ensures affordable access to nations in need. “We are proud to contribute to the global fight against HIV/AIDS by making quality treatment accessible worldwide,” said the Minister.
To combat other complexities faced by HIV patients, Patel shared, “India’s approach to integrating national health programs, including efforts to tackle tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, and non-communicable diseases, is helping address co-morbidities faced by people living with HIV.”
The high-level side event at the United Nations was themed “Revitalized Multilateralism: Recommitting to Ending AIDS Together” and was organised by UNAIDS, the Global Fund, and PEPFAR.
