New HIV cases in the State will be eliminated in phases, Health Minister Veena George has said.
The State is expected to achieve the goal of HIV elimination by 2025, five years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal of 2030 set by the United Nations. As a State with low prevalence of HIV, this goal is achievable for Kerala, she said.
Fewer new cases
In 2021, Kerala reported fewer than 1,000 new cases. At present, 17,000 HIV patients are undergoing treatment in the State. The State will intensify HIV prevention and control activities so that there are no new cases after 2025, she added, while inaugurating the World AIDS Day observance, organised by the Kerala State AIDS Control Society here on Wednesday.
AIDS Day message
This year’s World AIDS Day message calls for “End inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics”. Ending all racial, gender and other discriminations and socio-economic inequalities are necessary to ensure that pandemics like AIDS or COVID do not happen again. It is important that everyone declares solidarity with the HIV patients and ensure that they are not alienated from the mainstream, Ms. George said.
Awareness creation against HIV is a crucial element to achieving the goal of elimination and the message should reach every one, including Keralites working abroad.
Ms. George also released the Strategic Plan Document 2025, which details the HIV elimination pathway for the State.
Principal Secretary (Health) Rajan Khobragade; KSACS Project Director R. Ramesh; Additional Director of Public Health V. Meenakshy; and other officials were present.
