Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav said on Monday that the state is working towards making the state AIDS-free by 2030. On the occasion of World AIDS Day, the State AIDS Control Society organized a special program at Tummalapalli Kalakshetra in Vijayawada for which minister Satya Kumar Yadav was the Chief Guest.

He said that due to the efforts of the central and state governments to control the AIDS epidemic, the positivity rate has come down from 2.34 per cent to 0.58 per cent in the last 10 years. He informed that ten years ago, there were 25,000 new cases but now, the number has come down to 13,000. He emphasized the need to be vigilant and awareness, especially among the youth. 

The HIV positivity rate has come down from 0.10 per cent to 0.04 per cent due to awareness among the people, the minister informed. He also stated that anti-retroviral therapy drugs costing Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 will be provided free of cost through 59 ART centers. The minister called for creating awareness about concepts like safe sex and opined that should be no discrimination against students who have AIDS in schools, as it is also another disease like diabetes and hypertension. 

He said that efforts are being made to conduct HIV tests even in remote areas, which are completely free. Speaking on the occasion, MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao said that AIDS was once a scary situation, but today the situation is changing. On the occasion of World AIDS Day, he called upon governments, institutions and people to work together for the prevention and welfare of HIV victims.

NTR District Collector Dr.G.Lakshmisha said that the best society can be built only when there is complete awareness about AIDS. He said that timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease will increase their life expectancy.