Due to a drop in testing in 2020-21, Maharashtra is likely to have missed around 10,000 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections, reports stated. Activists fear this could be a major setback as the state had worked hard over the years to control the disease.
After a nationwide lockdown was announced due to the coronavirus outbreak, testing for HIV has declined in Maharashtra by 38%. While in Mumbai, the testing has declined by 50% since last March.
Since the testing has declined, the cases detected in Mumbai dropped by 54% and 46% in Maharashtra in 2020-21. As the testing services normalised in 2021-22, the city has managed to regain some lost ground since April.
Also read: COVID-19: Maharashtra’s Preparedness For Omicron
In India, Maharashtra has the highest number of HIV cases. It has 2.5 lakh patients on life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART). Before the pandemic, the state used to scale up HIV testing by 10% to 30% every year. In 2019-20, 4.75 lakh testing was done, but in 2020-21 2.3 lakh testing was done in the state due to the lockdown.
Additional project director, Mumbai District Aids Control Society, Dr Shrikala Acharya, said that 95% of transmission in Mumbai is due to unsafe sex.
Meanwhile, in Maharashtra only 12% of HIV patients are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Share
Tweet
