HIV/AIDS

Health officials confirm that early diagnosis and free government-supplied antiretroviral drugs can suppress HIV, allowing patients to live normal lives.

With sustained vigilance and coordinated action, officials expressed confidence that India is on track to declare HIV/AIDS under control by 2027.

Recent pledges from multilateral funding platforms – notably the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – and renewed donor commitment signal that global solidarity may yet rescue the response.

In a landmark public health achievement, the World Health Organization (WHO) has validated the Maldives for eliminating mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of hepatitis B.

WHO’s joint report with UNICEF on global immunization revealed that although vaccine coverage has modestly improved.

NACO has strengthened its nationwide awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS through multimedia and targeted outreach.

While some countries are expected to end malaria by 2030, major challenges remain to eliminate HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and neglected tropical diseases, the study found, with new HIV/AIDS cases increasing steadily in the past decade.

The effects are far-reaching and systemic. Surveillance and monitoring systems, vital for tracking infection trends and tailoring interventions, have also been weakened.