HIV positivity rate on a declining trend in Karnataka
The Hindu
December 1 is observed as World Aids Day
The HIV test positivity rate (TPR) in Karnataka, which has been one of the top three States with the highest number of people living with HIV (PLHIV), has been on a declining trend in the last five years.
While the HIV TPR in women under antenatal care (ANC) has reduced from 0.06% in 2017-2018 to 0.04% in 2021-2022, in general clients tested at the Integrated Counseling and Testing Centres (ICTCs), it has dropped from 0.85% in 2017-2018 to 0.41% in 2021-2022.
According to data from the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) in 2021-2022, 22,33,494 general clients were counselled and tested with a positivity rate of 0.41% and 12,45,905 women under ANC were counselled and tested with a positivity rate of 0.04%.
In 2022-2023 (till October end), 18,65,141 general clients were counselled and tested with a positivity rate of 0.41% and 8,37,709 women under ANC were counselled and tested with a positivity rate of 0.04%.
Currently, 71 Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres and 303 Link ART centres are functioning in the State. Of the 3,73,317 cumulative number of HIV cases registered at ART centres till October 2022, 1,76,113 cases are alive and on ART. As many as 94,315 deaths of patients on ART have been reported so far. These include 2,841 children, according to data.
KSAPS Additional Director Ramesh Chandra Reddy V. told The Hindu that the most effective means of controlling the spread of HIV is through the implementation of Targeted Intervention (TI) programmes. “KSAPS has been implementing the TI programme covering high-risk group population in all districts,” he said.
At present, the TI programme is covering 97,991 female sex workers, 43,629 males having sex with males, 3,192 transgenders, 2,234 Injecting drug users, 15,200 migrants, and 80,000 long-distance truckers.
With increased terminal entry points (eGates) at Mumbai International airport from 24 to 68, which is the highest number of e-gates at kerbside or landside in the country, the expansion will enhance the airport’s processing capacity to an astounding 7,440 passengers per hour at Terminal 2 (T2) and 2,160 at T1