(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) Preventive measures and early testing are essential in the fight against HIV/AIDS, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on World AIDS Day on Monday.

World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1 to address the epidemic and the vulnerabilities faced by children and adolescent girls and young women, as well as to fight the stigma attached to the disease. The theme this year is "Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response".

Nadda also stated the need to fight misconceptions and stigma faced by people suffering from HIV.

“World AIDS Day reminds us of the importance of understanding HIV/AIDS, taking preventive measures, and encouraging early testing. It is also an opportunity to show solidarity with those infected and affected by HIV, while dispelling myths about HIV transmission, such as misconceptions regarding how the virus is spread,” the Health Minister shared in a post on social media platform X.

“As a society, we must raise awareness, combat the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, and ensure equal access to healthcare for all. Together, let's work toward a healthier, more inclusive future,” he added.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV globally in 2024. While about 630,000 people died from HIV‐related causes in 2024, an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV last year.

Notably, between 2010 and 2024, India achieved a 48.7 per cent decline in annual new HIV infections, an 81.4 per cent reduction in AIDS-related deaths, and a 74.6 per cent decline in mother-to-child HIV transmission, as per data from the Health Ministry.

India continues to demonstrate substantial progress under the current phase of the National AIDS Control Programme.

“HIV testing increased from 4.13 crore (2020–21) to 6.62 crore (2024–25); access to antiretroviral treatment rose from 14.94 lakh to 18.60 lakh PLHIV; and viral load testing nearly doubled from 8.90 lakh to 15.98 lakh in the same period,” said the Ministry.

Meanwhile, Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia, also shared that the WHO South-East Asia Region, including India, has made progress in recent years.

Access and coverage of antiretroviral treatment have reduced deaths by 62 per cent from 2015 to 2024, and new infections declined by 32 per cent in the same time.

Eighty-five per cent of people with HIV know their status, 74 per cent of those -- approximately 2.7 million people -- are receiving treatment, and 72 per cent have achieved viral suppression. While encouraging, they remain short of the global '95-95-95' goal to end AIDS by 2030, as the burden of HIV remains substantial across the region.

Last year, 88,000 people were newly infected, and approximately 50,000 people died of HIV-related causes.

"Today, some 3.5 million people in the region live with HIV. These challenges are compounded by 42 million people living with hepatitis B, seven million with hepatitis C, and 60 million with sexually transmitted infections (STIs)," Boehme said in a statement.

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