Additional Secretary and Director General of the National AIDS Control Organization Dr. Rakesh Gupta addressed a state-level seminar in Vijayawada on Wednesday. | Photo credit: HANDOUT
There are around 16,000 registered HIV cases in India and given the country’s population, the number should be around 25,000, said National AIDS Control Organization Additional Secretary and Director General Rakesh Gupta, urging all states to identify the remaining affected individuals.
Dr. Addressing the ‘Mission AIDS Suraksha’ workshop in Vijayawada on Wednesday, Rakesh Gupta emphasized that HIV patients should be identified using a three-step strategy. The aim is to transform the country into a ‘Suraksha India’ by controlling the spread of HIV and this can be done when state and Union Territory governments work together to identify people living with HIV, he said.
Authorities should also ensure that patients take the medication regularly as this would reduce the viral load in their bodies and bring relief to affected families and help reduce the spread of HIV, said Dr. Rakesh Gupta.
Andhra Pradesh is estimated to have 3,10,000 HIV cases, but currently has 276,000 cases. It is important to immediately identify the remaining cases so we can provide medical care and check the spread, he said, giving the authorities a deadline of Dec. 1, which is celebrated as World AIDS Day.
Similar workshops were organized in Assam and Karnataka, he added.
Meanwhile, State AIDS Control Society Project Director K. Neelakantha Reddy said that 89% of the estimated cases in the state have been identified and 86% of them are being treated. He urged the district officials to take action in accordance with the central directives.
The seminar was attended by District Collectors, District Health and Medical Officers, Deputy Collectors, Joint Collectors, AIDS Control Officers, Administrative Officers and from 23 districts.
Published – 18 March 2026 19:27 IST
