New Delhi, December 1
The number of new HIV infections in India has come down by 57 per cent and related deaths by 25 per cent in the last decade.
The government is now working on achieving the global goal of zero new infection and death by spreading awareness and boosting preventive methods.
On World AIDS Day, Union Health Minister JP Nadda today asked people to participate in making the mission successful.
Launching helpline 1097, a digital resource centre and a supply chain management system for HIV patients, Nadda said: “It’s the job of every individual to come out and fight it (HIV) out. There should be zero discrimination against people with HIV. This should be our commitment.” Stressing on the importance of “restraint” and “precaution”, he said it was time for people to consider their lifestyle, noting that preventive healthcare had become important after an era when it was considered that antibiotics could “cure everything”.
“We should be working on two fronts. We should be aware and put special emphasis on prevention and help those living with HIV and AIDS so that they face no discrimination,” he said.
The Health Ministry, he said, had signed MoUs with 11 Central ministries for better coordination in tackling AIDS and MoUs with five more ministries were in the pipeline. “The work involves bringing on board 28 ministries,” he said.
The first HIV positive person was reported in 1986 in India, which currently has 2.1 million affected people, the third highest in the world even as the country’s efforts in restricting its spread is considered a success by most.
Health Secretary Lov Verma said HIV-related deaths had come down by 30 per cent since 2007. — PTI