Haryana’s data highlights efforts to control and support people living with HIV

Fresh data from Haryana showing that 12.40 lakh people were screened for HIV in FY 2025-26 , with 5,877 testing positive , underlines not just detection efforts but a broader national push to control and support people living with HIV. Health officials say the emphasis is increasingly on early diagnosis, treatment access and social support, rather than mere case counting.

Haryana currently operates 104 Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs) and 24 ART centres , with 40,851 patients receiving treatment . Importantly, the state provides a ₹2,250 monthly financial assistance to PLHIV (People Living with HIV) , with over ₹54.3 crore disbursed so far. This reflects a shift from purely medical management to social protection. Of the 5.65 lakh pregnant women tested , 613 were found positive and linked to treatment , strengthening efforts to eliminate mother to child transmission.

Nationally, India’s HIV response under the National AIDS Control Programme has scaled up screening to nearly 6 to 7 crore tests annually . Adult HIV prevalence stands at approximately 0.2 per cent , with an estimated 24 to 31 lakh PLHIV . Over 18 lakh people are on free antiretroviral therapy (ART) . Compared to 2010 levels, new HIV infections have fallen by more than 40 per cent and AIDS related deaths have declined significantly. India is steadily moving toward the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

The Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh , historically high burden regions, have also intensified both detection and welfare measures. Telangana screened nearly 19 lakh people in 2024 , reporting a positivity rate of around 0.49 per cent , and provides a ₹2,016 monthly pension to eligible PLHIV. Andhra Pradesh, with an estimated around 3 lakh PLHIV , offers one of the country’s highest state pensions at ₹3,000 per month , alongside extensive ART coverage.

Public health experts note that increased screening often reflects better surveillance rather than rising infection rates. The steady decline in new infections, improved ART adherence and expansion of prevention programmes, including targeted interventions for high risk groups and opioid substitution therapy, indicate that India’s HIV response has matured from crisis control to sustained management.

Haryana’s latest figures are therefore less a warning sign and more evidence of a system that is identifying, treating and supporting patients earlier. Two decades after the peak years of the epidemic, the data suggest that India is not merely containing HIV. It is steadily winning the war against AIDS.