NEW DELHI—Reports revealed today show that 57% of new HIV cases in India are now found to occur in only 10 states. Punjab, the Sikh homeland, is also included in this list.
The report by National Aids Control Organization (NACO) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have shown a decline in average cases of HIV infection, but cases have increased in the states that were previously known to have negligible HIV infection rates. The report, named India HIV Estimates-2012, has depicted that 57% of new HIV cases are found in Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujrat, Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttrakhand.
UN AIDS India Co-ordinator Osama Taveel said that overall the performance of India is quite good, but India will have to care about the rising HIV Infection rate on a state level. She said that HIV infection was least in Northern Indian States like Punjab, but due to rising drug addiction in Punjab, the HIV infection rate has also increased. Approximately 2.1 Million Indians are the victims of HIV infection, but the number of those taking ART (Anti Retroviral Therapy) treatment is 0.8 million.
