Despite low density of infected people, chances of getting HIV high in Kerala, says CM Vijayan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said though the southern state has low density of HIV-affected persons, the odds of contracting the infection is very high there.

The disease prevention activities and awareness programmes have great significance and the state government is making various interventions to keep the disease at bay, he said in a Facebook post marking the "World AIDS Day" today.

The CM said the day was a reminder to ensure public participation in the rehabilitation of HIV-infected persons across the world and to contain the spread of the disease.

He pointed out that as per the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, it is necessary to create a situation where there are no new cases of the disease by 2030.

But, Kerala is going to achieve this target much earlier, he said adding that the LDF government is making comprehensive interventions through the campaign "Onnayi Poojayathilekk" (loosely translated as "Together to Zero") as part of this.

"We are trying to achieve the target of 95:95:95 by 2025. The first part of this intends to make the affected persons realise their condition."

The second goal is to ensure Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) treatment to 95 per cent of people, found to be infected by HIV, and the third is to control the spread of virus among them, he added.

Citing the statistics of 2024, the CM said Kerala has already achieved the second and third targets and the first goal has reached 75 per cent. The objective of the government is to make the comprehensive project a great success.

The CM further said that though Kerala is a state where the density of HIV-affected persons is low, the chances of getting the infection is very high there.

He also urged everyone to take part together in the fight against the disease.