The number of HIV positive cases has come down substantially in Kurnool district. From 3,129 a decade ago, the number of infected persons decreased to 1,223 in 2018-19.
Of the 50,875 people tested in 2009-2010, 6.15% were found positive for HIV. In 2018-19, about 1,04,492 were tested, and only 1.17% were found to be infected.
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HIV infection in antenatal cases has also seen a significant reduction. As against 190 new cases registered a decade ago, only 54 were recorded in 2018-19. A similar trend is seen across the State with such cases dropping to 0.39% in 2016-17, from 0.73% 10 years ago.
According to the Additional District Medical and Health Officer (AIDS and Leprosy) Dr. P Chandra Rao, not a single case of a child infected with HIV has been delivered in the district.
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In recognition of the work done by the Kurnool Health Department in containing the spread of the deadly virus, the government has also decided to give five awards to the district, which would be presented in Vijayawada on December 1.
“We have 20,620 people registered for Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) out of which 10,136 are receiving drugs,” Dr. Rao said.
“Out of the 10,000-odd cases, only 328 people are on the second line of drugs,” he added.
Explaining why only half the people registered are getting drugs, he said that some of them might have died or moved to another place.
The Additional DMHO said that awareness was key to preventing HIV. Towards this goal, the authorities planned a rally with students, and an awareness meet at the medical college on December 1, the AIDS day.