‘HIV infection dips 66%’

The latest figures released by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) stating decline in HIV infections may give Union Health Ministry a reason to cheer. 

According to the report, new HIV infections have declined by 66 per cent while AIDS-related deaths have reduced by 54 per cent between 2007 and 2015.

 According to 2015 HIV estimates, which was released by Union Health Minister JP Nadda on World AIDS Day, the country is witnessing a continued decline in the new HIV infections. “The HIV prevalence has overall declined by 0.37 per cent in 2000 by 0.34 per cent in 2007 and now to 0.26 per cent in 2015, new infections in the same period have decreased by 66 per cent to 86,000 in 2015,” the report said.

The 2015 HIV estimates also stated that rapid scale up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has a very significant impact in producing a drop in AIDS-related deaths by 54 per cent from 2007 to 2015.

The estimates, which were developed by National Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS)-ICMR with support from experts from AIIMS, NIHFW, UNAIDS, WHO and CDC, stated that HIV prevalence among adults aged 15-49 years have fallen from 0.34 per cent to 0.26 per cent in 2007-2015.

Currently adult prevalence is 0.30 per cent among males, and 0.22 per cent among females.