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Business News/ News / India/  India may miss the national target to end AIDS by 2030: ICMR study
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India may miss the national target to end AIDS by 2030: ICMR study

States with estimated people living with HIV numbers between 0.2 and 0.1 million were Telangana, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar

FILE PHOTO: About 2880 candles are seen lit during a World AIDS Day event in Jakarta December 1, 2009. (REUTERS)Premium
FILE PHOTO: About 2880 candles are seen lit during a World AIDS Day event in Jakarta December 1, 2009. (REUTERS)

While covid-19 pandemic has halted progress of several public health programs, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found that India may miss the national target to end AIDS by 2030.

A study done by the ICMR-National Institute of Medical Statistics, Division of Strategic information - Surveillance and Epidemiology, National AIDS Control Organisation under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare said that target would be difficult to achieve as there is a slow decline in annual new HIV infections by only 27% from 2010 to 2017 against the national target of 75% by 2020.

As per the study which is published in the latest issue of Indian Journal of Medical Research, the national adult prevalence of HIV was estimated to be 0.22% in 2017. Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland had the highest prevalence over one per cent. The study found an estimated 2.1 million people were living with HIV in 2017, with Maharashtra estimated to have the highest number. Of the 88,000 annual new HIV infections estimated nationally in 2017, Telangana accounted for the largest share.

“HIV incidence was found to be higher among key population groups, especially people who inject drugs. The annual AIDS-related deaths were estimated to be 69,000 nationally. For all indicators, geographic variation in levels and trends between States existed," the study said. “Although at the sub-national level some States have made better progress to reduce new HIV infection. It calls for reinforcement of HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment efforts by geographical regions and population groups, the study added.

The top three States having the highest number of people living with HIV in 2017 were Maharashtra (0.33 million), Andhra Pradesh (0.27 million) and Karnataka (0.24 million). States with estimated people living with HIV numbers between 0.2 and 0.1 million were Telangana, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The study highlighted that elimination of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV is another critical target to be achieved by 2020. Of the 22,677 estimated PMTCT need in India, 58.2% were on treatment as of December 2018. States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana had relatively higher PMTCT need, however, treatment coverage was still significantly lower than the national average and thus required specific attention, the study said.

The study highlighted that there were 15 States which accounted for 87% of the total population of India in 2017. These accounted for 90% of the total burden of people living with HIV in India, around 86% of the total annual new HIV infections, 91% of annual AIDS-related deaths and 89% of the total PMTCT needs. Also, there was indication of rising annual new HIV infections in the low burden States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Uttarakhand in 2017 compared with 2010, the study pointed out.

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Published: 27 Jul 2020, 06:52 PM IST
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