India Launches HIV/AIDS Awareness Drive

The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has organised an HIV/AIDS awareness programme under the AIDS Suraksha Abhiyan, as part of a broader effort to raise awareness and control the spread of HIV/AIDS across India.

A two-month-long awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS will be launched across Annamayya district from August 12, targeting high-risk villages, zones of educational institutions, and other vulnerable locations. The campaign aims to increase public awareness about HIV/AIDS and promote safe practices to prevent the spread of the disease.

Visakhapatnam district Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore has urged people to treat persons living with HIV equally and avoid discrimination, misconceptions, and neglect. He also advised couples to undergo HIV tests before pregnancy, maintain mutual trust, avoid sharing used needles and syringes, and use screened, safe blood when required.

The Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) has prepared HIV/AIDS awareness publicity material and a health handbook, which were released by the Collector. The State government aims to achieve the 95-95-99 targets to control HIV/AIDS by December 2026, which means 95% of people living with HIV should know their status, 95% of those who know their status should be on treatment, and 99% of those receiving treatment should have a suppressed viral load.

The State government has already achieved a progress of 88%, 87%, and 96.2% towards the 95-95-99 targets. A Suraksha Dashboard has been unveiled to track the progress of HIV-control programmes and performance of all districts.

## Why it matters The HIV/AIDS awareness programme and campaign are crucial in controlling the spread of the disease, which affects thousands of people in India. By increasing public awareness and promoting safe practices, the government aims to reduce the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and ensure that those living with the disease have equal access to employment, education, and medical services. The success of the programme will depend on the active participation of various stakeholders, including government officials, NGOs, and the general public.

## What happens next The two-month-long awareness campaign will be launched on August 12, and officials from line departments and NGOs will work in coordination to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The campaign will be closely monitored through the Suraksha Dashboard, which will track the progress of HIV-control programmes and performance of all districts. The government will also continue to work towards achieving the 95-95-99 targets to control HIV/AIDS by December 2026.