Odisha among top 12 states with highest female sex workers and men who have sex with men : NACO
According to the programmatic mapping and population size estimation (PMPSE) conducted by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in 2022, the state recorded an estimated 24,620 FSWs and 5,977 MSM. The estimation has been published in the recent issue of peer-reviewed journal PLOS Global Public Health.
As many as 2,113 hotspots and 190 network operators in the state were mapped during the survey.
The hotspots included brothel, lodge/hotel, street, railway station, bus-stand, park, marketplace, under the bridge, highway, spa and abandoned area.
The state has two FSWs per 1,000 adult women and about 88.6 per cent (pc) operate through physical hotspots such as homes or street locations. Around four per cent are exclusively linked to network operators, and 7.4 pc are found in rural villages under the link worker scheme (LWS).
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Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
Delhi Health Minister flags off AIDS awareness campaign from Rohini
New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh on Tuesday launched an ambitious AIDS awareness campaign from Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, setting the tone for a citywide public health drive. After the flag-off, healthcare workers will be going door-to-door to educate residents about HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, and treatment. Pankaj Singh emphasised that the initiative is not a one-time programme but a mass movement aimed at tackling the stigma and misinformation surrounding the disease. 'This programme is to raise awareness about AIDS. The awareness drive is being conducted across India, but today we are starting it here in Rohini,' Pankaj Singh told IANS. Singh further reacted on the Supreme Court's recent order on the removal of stray dogs. 'It's an order from the Supreme Court — we will look into it,' he said. Responding to allegations that medicines were unavailable in Delhi hospitals, Singh retorted, 'Tell me where medicines are not available.' Meanwhile, India has made significant strides in combating HIV/AIDS, a condition that continues to pose a serious public health challenge. The country has succeeded in curbing HIV prevalence over the last few years, but the road to an 'AIDS-Free India' remains long. According to estimates, around 2.5 million Indians aged 15–49 are currently living with HIV/AIDS — the third-highest number globally. The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, spearheads awareness efforts through extensive multimedia campaigns, promoting testing facilities, treatment options, and prevention measures. The outreach strategy includes a mix of mass media advertisements, outdoor campaigns such as hoardings, bus panels, and information kiosks, as well as traditional folk performances to connect with rural audiences. IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) vans are deployed to deliver messages directly to communities. With the rise of digital engagement, NACO also leverages social media platforms and online campaigns to target younger, tech-savvy audiences, ensuring that the message reaches both urban and rural demographics. At the grassroots level, awareness is fostered through training and sensitisation of Self-Help Groups, Anganwadi workers, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Panchayati Raj members, and other community influencers. These interpersonal interventions help build trust, encourage testing, and promote behavioural change — all critical steps in breaking the chain of HIV transmission.
India Today
27-07-2025
- India Today
From death certificate to marriage certificate: Journey of HIV-positive Indians
Tarun (name changed), a Mumbai resident, was diagnosed HIV-positive and was only given 30 days to live. He defied the prognosis, and has been living with the virus for 23 years now. But back in 2002, the news that someone had tested positive for HIV was nothing short of a death before the virus killed, social rejection and emotional distress killed those with has been leading a near-normal life for 23 years, thanks to advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART), family support and peer individuals now have a lifespan that is close to that of uninfected people. It is now, more than ever, that they are seeking companionship for the long now 46, is healthy, married, and living what he calls "a full life". His wife, Anushka (name changed), is also HIV-positive. Together, they are parents to a biological daughter, who is HIV-negative, and an adopted must be noted that India had an estimated 23.48 lakh people living with the virus in 2019 – the third-highest burden of HIV in the world – according to a National AIDS Control Organisation (Naco) India Today Digital spoke to said the country today has around 2.5-3 million HIV-positive people, roughly a third of whom fall in the marriage bracket of 21-35 years."Today, more HIV-positive people are getting married compared to a decade ago," Anjali Gopalan, founder and executive director of The Naz Foundation (India) Trust, told India Today Digital."HIV-positive individuals are now even marrying HIV-negative people," said Gopalan, whose organisation has extensively worked with issues related to HIV/AIDS and sexuality for over three MK, advocacy officer with Mumbai-based Humsafar Trust, a support group for people living with HIV (PLHIV), also said that marriages among HIV-positive people are on the rise as compared to a decade HIV-positive individuals, even the way of finding partners is seemingly online matrimony platforms like and have emerged. Matrimony major recently launched a section for HIV-positive brides and experts and HIV-positive individuals told India Today Digital that most people from the community seeking partners do so offline, primarily through annual meet-ups organised by Naco. Experts said even the World Health Organisation (WHO) plays a small role in the the coming up of online matrimonial platforms and Jeevansathi's exclusive section is a signal of a positive shift in India's HIV/AIDS JOURNEY FROM DEATH CERTIFICATE TO MARRIAGE CERTIFICATETarun, a chef returning from a cruise-liner job, was diagnosed with HIV during a routine check-up in and scared, he hid the diagnosis from his mother for nine months. By the time she found out, the doctor had given him 30 days to live. But his mother's support kept him he stuck to medication, a healthier lifestyle and diet, and regular check-ups, Tarun's immunity and outlook improved. He left his job as a chef, fearing a simple kitchen injury could stir a panic about HIV transmission, and took up work at a call centre years passed, he became a peer counsellor day, he was asked to speak with an HIV-positive woman from Raipur who had faced abuse from her in-laws after losing her husband to AIDS. He didn't expect that this woman, by the end of counselling, would become his friend, and ultimately his might have found his life partner by chance while counselling, but most HIV-positive people find their spouses either at meet-ups or the matrimonial sites that have come COUPLES AND SAFE CHILDBIRTHThe journey of Tarun and Anushka, both HIV-positive individuals, helps us understand some of the struggles that such couples marriage, childbirth is where they faced the next big challenge."When we planned to have a baby, many hospitals turned us away because we were both HIV-positive," Tarun said. "The discrimination came from everyone – receptionists, ward boys, nurses, and even doctors."The couple were wrongly told they couldn't have an HIV-negative child."If the mother is HIV-positive, she is placed on lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) to suppress the virus to undetectable levels. With proper adherence, this reduces the risk of transmission to the baby to less than 1%," Dr Rashmi Singh, a Delhi-based medicine specialist, told India Today Digital."During childbirth, if the mother's viral load is under control, a vaginal delivery is also considered safe, but just to be sure, most gynaecologists recommend a C-section delivery," she the process after the baby is delivered, Singh said, "After birth, the infant is given preventive medication for several weeks, and is monitored through regular HIV testing up to 18 months of age."In cases where only the father is HIV-positive, Singh added, "Assisted reproductive technologies such as sperm washing followed by intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF) can be used. These methods ensure that the virus is not present in the sperm used for conception, preventing transmission to both the mother and child."MANAGING HIV WITHIN A MARRIAGEHowever, couples with HIV need to be extra careful about unprotected sex even if both are living with the told India Today Digital that he and his wife planned their pregnancy under the close supervision of a gynaecologist, as he cannot have regular unprotected sex despite having his viral load under control. His semen could still affect his wife's CD4 count – a key indicator of immune health in people living with today, with ART, many people can restore and maintain normal CD4 Tarun's case, regular monitoring of both viral load and CD4 count helped guide safe family must also be noted that India's ART programme is one of the world's most cost-effective and accessible. First-line ART medicines can cost around Rs 1,500-Rs 2,000 per month at private institutions, but under Naco, the government provides them free of WITH HIV: BEYOND THE VIRAL LOADDespite being cost-effective today and offering a high chance of leading a normal life, living with HIV within a relationship still comes with its own set of emotional and practical serodiscordant couples, where only one partner is HIV-positive, the HIV-negative partner may have to make certain adjustments, especially around trust and physical intimacy, such as barely being able to have unprotected sex, and other lifestyle adjustments involving Foundation's Anjali Gopalan said, "When there is openness and honesty about one's HIV status, many couples are able to make it work. With the right support and counselling, people often choose to focus on the relationship and the bond they share, rather than the condition."Finding a partner, however, remains one of the biggest MK of the Humsafar Trust points out, "Most people living with HIV try to find a partner who is also HIV positive. Though marriage rates have improved, the success rate at community HIV melawas (fair, in Marathi) is still just 1-2%."Melawas are the Naco-organised community meet-ups held in Maharashtra. Similar meet-ups, known by different local names, are held annually in cities across India. Experts say these are typically low-key events, drawing around 100–150 attendees now married and actively involved in the HIV-positive community as a counsellor, says he attends the melawa across Maharashtra, to connect with others and offer common way people intending to get married meet is through word-of-mouth, especially via counsellors who interact with people living with HIV and often pass along information when they hear someone is looking for a partner."I have helped four couples get married by informally playing matchmaker," Tarun told India Today who has attended nearly every community meet-up in Maharashtra in the past several years, said, "Around 80% of those who turn up at these events are men. This gender disparity is one of the reasons why the success rate of melawas leading to marriage remains so low."Both Sumi MK and Tarun noted that even older individuals seek companionship and long-term relationships are often spotted at the community meet-ups. Online HIV matrimony portals offer some hope, but their reach is seemingly who helps facilitate such meet-ups, says, "Many people come from underprivileged backgrounds and aren't tech-savvy enough to maintain a profile. The emotional toll of living with HIV also means many don't always stay active on these platforms."Other social factors persist as well."Even within the HIV-positive community, people often seek partners from the same caste," Tarun added. "I once introduced two individuals from the Patil community, but the girl's parents insisted on the same sub-caste, and the match fell through."While stigma and practical hurdles remain, the journey of people living with HIV is no longer defined by fear or isolation. With stronger treatment options, growing awareness, and supportive communities, HIV-positive individuals are reclaiming their right to live, and love.- EndsMust Watch advertisement
Mint
24-07-2025
- Mint
Centre plans easier HIV care at patients' doorsteps, digital data management and patient tracing on the cards
New Delhi: The government plans to take HIV treatment and support to the doorsteps of over 2.5 million living with the virus. The Union health ministry is working on a "person-centered approach" instead of a uniform plan for everyone. This major overhaul, incorporated in the "Operational Guidelines for Care and Support Centres" by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), aims to eradicate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. According to the 'India HIV Estimation 2023' report, an estimated 2.54 million people were living with HIV in India. The report said that in 2023, approximately 35,870 people in India died due to causes related to AIDS. To be sure, not everyone with HIV develops AIDS, and anti- retroviral or ARV drugs have made living with the disease as manageable as any other condition. Furthermore, the government is looking to roll out new mobile applications such as the NACO-CSC app for tracking and monitoring HIV patients. This initiative aims to digitize data and improve efficiency. A significant change in this new strategy is the widespread adoption of community-based link ART centres (LACs), which will enable HIV patients to pick up their vital antiretroviral (ARV) medicines at local care and support centres, rather than having to travel long distances to bigger hospitals. This "decentralized approach" aims to make treatment much easier to access, especially for those facing travel difficulties, financial strain or other personal challenges. Beyond easier ARV access, the government is also leveraging a major technological leap: digital record-keeping and patient tracking through a new "NACO-CSC mobile application". This initiative will replace the older, time-consuming paper-based system, allowing for real-time updates and seamless coordination between HIV testing centres (ICTC), treatment centres (ARTCs), and the care and support centres (CSCs). This digital shift is expected to save time, speed up patient care, and make the entire process more transparent and efficient. Importantly, patient confidentiality will be strictly maintained as per government data policies. The new treatment guidelines prioritize crucial areas like the Elimination of Vertical Transmission of HIV & Syphilis (EVTHS). This is a vital step to prevent HIV and syphilis from being passed from mothers to their children during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. This focus is particularly urgent given that an estimated 2,350 new pediatric HIV infections in India in 2023 were due to such vertical transmission. The aim is to ensure that 95% of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV achieve a suppressed viral load, a key factor in preventing transmission to their babies. 'Care and Support Centres (CSCs) will play a crucial role in this by proactively following up with pregnant women living with HIV to ensure they adhere to their treatment, get regular viral load tests, and that their babies receive necessary preventive medicines and early diagnosis," said an official aware of the matter. 'CSCs will help bridge the gaps in linking newly diagnosed individuals to treatment, improve how well patients stick to their medicine plans, and track those who might interrupt treatment or have a high viral load. CSCs also play a critical role in connecting patients to various social welfare schemes and actively work to reduce the stigma and discrimination that people living with HIV often face," the official added. Another focus of the new protocol is the comprehensive management of HIV-related co-morbidities and advanced HIV disease. This means addressing other health conditions that people living with HIV might develop, ensuring they receive holistic care. Indian pharmaceutical companies, including Cipla, Aurobindo Pharma, Zydus Lifesciences and Lupin, are key manufacturers of ARV drugs essential for HIV treatment. The market for HIV drugs is substantial, estimated at $250.23 million in 2022, with projections to grow to $389.90 million by 2030. Queries sent to the above mentioned companies remained unanswered. Raman Gangakhedkar, distinguished professor, Symbiosis International University, Pune and former C.G. Pandit national chair at the Indian Council on Medical Research (ICMR),said that though the National AIDS Control Programme continues to be one of the most successful nationally and internationally, it faces the challenge of linking 95% of HIV infected Individuals to ART services and ensure lifelong treatment adherence for the 2030 elimination goal. 'Vast number of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) cannot be followed up for the treatment and get missed, migration, opt out for treatment from closest clinics and social stigma are some of the key challenges for linkage as well continuation of antiretroviral therapy that has ensured that one can live as long as others who are not infected. Tracking individuals detected to be infected from detection to maintenance of suppressed viral load is critical," Dr. Gangakhedkar said. He said that to combat this, community involvement is paramount in the fight to eliminate HIV. 'The government now plans to establish more Care and Support Centres across the country in most of the districts and will not only track the person to ensure quality treatment against HIV disease but also monitor TB and other non-communicable diseases as a component of comprehensive care. The current guidelines cover objective parameters to be an agency to implement CSC related services, parameters used for rigorous monitoring and evaluation based on their performance. The HIV infected individuals will soon be able to get their medicines and refills directly from these local CSCs, eliminating the need to travel long distances to ART centres and when they are unable to travel due to sickness. The CSC will also counsel them comprehensively and also ensure measures related social stigma are handled well." He said that some of the patients on ART may prefer private healthcare to begin with and also during treatment from ART Centres. In such circumstances, the government often lacks crucial data on whether they're actually receiving treatment. 'To address this, all newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals will now be linked to an ART centre. Furthermore, a digital mobile application will be instrumental in tracing patients anywhere in the country. Our major goal is to monitor active HIV cases and their treatment in India," said Dr. Gangakhedkar.
