ICMR study identifies 54 high-priority districts in South India with HIV burden

Extensive studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Epidemiology estimate that India continues to carry a substantial Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) burden. 

An estimated 25.44 lakh people are living with HIV in India in 2023, as per the studies. Experts observed that the five South Indian States accounted for approximately 6.35 lakh people are living with HIV (PLHIV). The same year, 68.45 thousand new HIV infections were also reported in the country. 

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Among the southern states, Karnataka counts 2.80 lakh, Tamil Nadu 1.69 lakh, and Telangana is 1.58 lakh and together these states constitute nearly 24 per cent of the National HIV burden. 

The 2023 district-level HIV estimation identified 54 high-priority districts across the five South Indian States and Union territories, which together accounted for 77 per cent of the total PLHIV, 43 per cent of annual new infections and 65 per cent of the total need for elimination of vertical transmission (EVTH)-related services in the region.

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When it came to the elimination of Vertical Transmission of HIV, an estimated 19.96 thousand pregnant women required related services across India in 2023. It was reported that 17 districts in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana recorded higher service needs for EVTH interventions.

According to experts, the studies highlight the urgent need to strengthen existing prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies and to focus efforts in the most at-risk areas to accelerate progress toward the goal of ending AIDS by 2030.

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