Coimbatore: In startling disclosure, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka account for 3.6 lakh HIV cases, about 50% of the patients in the country. The southern states are also among the top four in the country, with Tamil Nadu alone having 80,685 HIV positive people of the total of 7.7 lakh as on May 2014. Since the first HIV case was detected in Tamil Nadu in 1986, it has been a 24×7 fight against the disease.
The sharp decrease in the number of cases follows increased awareness among people about screening and precautions, said experts. “Tamil Nadu has a strong health system which focused on meticulous screening for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 2010, around 1.8% of the state’s average population was HIV (+)ve .
The screening and monitoring of people with HIV has been stepped up in the last four years. The state government and NGOs introduced a number of schemes to reach more people.
After Tamil Nadu’s 80,000-odd cases, Gujarat is listed with 40,121 cases. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, which are larger both in area and population, have not recorded many cases.
The rising numbers in the southern states are attributed to efficient screening over the last few years, said experts. Â