Kerala determined to prevent new HIV infections by 2025: CM Vijayan

Kerala is determined to prevent new HIV infections in the state by 2025 and due to the significant strides it has made in the health sector it can achieve this goal much earlier, Vijayan said

Kerala is determined to prevent new HIV infections in the state by 2025 and due to the significant strides it has made in the health sector it can achieve this goal much earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.

The CM, in a Facebook post on the occasion of World AIDS Day, said the state can achieve the goal of preventing new infections by intensifying the preventive measures as well as by finding out HIV patients and providing them proper treatment and care.

Vijayan said that in October 25,775 cases of HIV were registered in the state and the prevalence of the infection among adults here was 0.08 per cent as compared to the national figure of 22 per cent.

While the prevalence of HIV cases in Kerala was low compared to other states, there is still room for improvement, he added.

The CM said that the state Health Department and the AIDS Control Society have jointly planned extensive programmes at the state, district and taluk levels as part of the government's plan to prevent new HIV infections.

He said that this year's World AIDS Day message was to 'End inequality, AIDs and pandemic' for making an HIV free community possible and for this necessary awareness has to be created.