Karnataka has one of the highest HIV burdens in India, with an estimated 2.60 lakh people living with HIV in the state, according to the National AIDS Control Organisation’s (NACO) Sankalak: Status of National AIDS and STD Response 2024 report. However, only around 2.05 lakh people are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), indicating a treatment gap of nearly 54,000 people. The figures highlight the continuing need for increased awareness, testing, and access to healthcare services.

According to reports, Karnataka ranks among the top states in India in terms of the number of people living with HIV. Health authorities are focusing on students and young adults through initiatives such as the Mobilisation for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) campaign, which allows individuals to confidentially assess their HIV risk through a QR code-based tool. The initiative aims to encourage timely testing and help people connect with healthcare services without fear or stigma.

Medical experts have emphasised that HIV can remain unnoticed for years, as many infected individuals may not experience visible symptoms. Dr Neha Rastogi, Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, explained that HIV is mainly transmitted through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person, sharing contaminated needles, transfusion of infected blood, and mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding when preventive measures are not provided. She also clarified that HIV does not spread through casual contact such as hugging, shaking hands, sharing food, or sitting near someone living with HIV.

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Early diagnosis and timely treatment remain crucial in managing HIV. Modern antiretroviral therapy can reduce the virus to very low levels, allowing people living with HIV to lead longer and healthier lives while also reducing the risk of transmission. Health experts say removing stigma around testing and treatment is essential to ensure more people come forward for diagnosis and receive medical support at the right time.

The global HIV response is guided by the 95-95-95 targets, which aim to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained ART, and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression. Karnataka’s treatment gap shows that identifying undiagnosed cases remains a major priority in achieving these goals and strengthening the state’s HIV response.

While HIV treatment has improved significantly worldwide, challenges remain in ensuring universal access to testing and medicines. Karnataka’s latest figures underline that progress depends not only on identifying people living with HIV but also on linking them with continuous care and reducing discrimination. Expanding confidential testing services, increasing awareness among young people, and improving access to treatment will be key steps towards closing the gap and moving closer to global HIV control targets by 2030.

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