SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare | National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)
India commenced the World AIDS Day 2025 commemoration under the global theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response,” reflecting the ongoing drive to make services more resilient and community-led. India has demonstrated strong progress under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), achieving a 48.7% decline in new HIV infections and an 81.4% reduction in AIDS-related deaths between 2010 and 2024. Access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) has increased significantly, supporting 18.60 lakh People Living with HIV (PLHIV).
The national observance, led by the Union Health Minister, launched a new multimedia campaign video series centered on three core pillars: Youth & Awareness, Elimination of Vertical Transmission, and Stigma & Discrimination. The legal framework is fortified by the HIV/AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, which prohibits discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV). This commitment is further institutionalized by the appointment of Ombudsmen in 34 States/UTs to address discrimination complaints.
Vertical transmission refers to the transmission of HIV from an HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. Elimination of vertical transmission is a critical public health goal focused on ensuring that all pregnant women are tested and promptly linked to treatment (ART) to prevent the virus from passing to the infant, a key pillar of India’s NACP-V strategy.
Policy Relevance: The launch of the targeted campaign and the institutional commitment (Act of 2017 and Ombudsmen) underscore India’s comprehensive, rights-based approach to the epidemic, positioning the nation to accelerate progress towards the long-standing Sustainable Development Goal target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What specific financing and community mobilization strategies are required to bridge the remaining gap and ensure 100% adherence to the ‘Test and Treat’ policy for all PLHIV?
Follow the full news here: Building on India’s global AIDS control success