Vertical HIV Transmission Declines by Around 84%, Govt Highlights Awareness Efforts

New Delhi, July 23 — The number of vertical (mother-to-child) transmissions of HIV has decreased by approximately 84%, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel informed Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon Session.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Patel detailed government initiatives to boost HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

She stated that the vertical transmission rate fell by about 74.5% between 2010 and 2024 in India, outperforming the global decline of around 56.5% during the same period.

The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, leads awareness campaigns through various multimedia efforts, including information kiosks and folk performances. Digital platforms and social media are also extensively used to engage younger, tech-savvy audiences.

NACO has implemented 1,619 targeted intervention projects nationwide focusing on high-risk groups such as female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID), transgender individuals, truck drivers, and migrants.

At the grassroots level, self-help groups, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, and members of Panchayati Raj institutions conduct training and sensitization programs to promote awareness and behavioral change in communities.

To combat discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV), NACO runs thematic campaigns to raise awareness and foster inclusivity across workplaces, healthcare settings, educational institutions, and communities.

Additionally, ombudsmen have been appointed in 34 states and Union Territories to address complaints related to discrimination against PLHIV, reflecting the government’s commitment to protecting their rights and dignity, Patel said.