Kerala's United Front Against HIV: A Model for Global Goals

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan highlights collective efforts in the state that have controlled HIV in 99.8% of cases. On World AIDS Day, he emphasizes the importance of treatment and societal support, noting a concern over new infections. Kerala's prevalence is significantly lower than the national average.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has praised the state's collective efforts to combat HIV, successfully controlling the virus in 99.8% of cases. His statements came as part of a message for World AIDS Day on Monday.

Vijayan noted that 83% of the estimated HIV-positive individuals in Kerala have been identified, with over 95% receiving Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). This puts Kerala's HIV prevalence at just 0.07%, significantly lower than the national average of 0.20%.

However, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the 4,477 new infections reported over the past three years. Vijayan called for continued awareness and preventative measures to support the United Nations' goal of eliminating new HIV infections by 2030.

(With inputs from agencies.)