Identifying Hotspots of HIV Infection in India

Abstract

The study aims to identify the states & districts having higher HIV incidence rates. The data on HIV/AIDS in the Health Management Information System (HMIS) web portal has been used for the study. The result suggests the incidence of HIV at the Indian level was found to be 0.26 percent. At the sub-national level, Daman & Diu (2.4%) followed by Telangana (1.3%), Uttar Pradesh (0.9%), Bihar (0.6%), Gujarat (0.6%), and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (0.5%) have higher incidence rate than the national average. Subsequently, districts from several states like Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, etc., show a higher incidence rate than the national level. Particularly, Medak (17.8%) and Chhotaudepur district (10.3%) of Gujarat; Nalanda (9.7%) of Bihar; Peddapalli (6.9%) of Telangana; Etah (6.4%) and Mirzapur (5.5%) from Uttar Pradesh. The study concludes that there is a need to address the commoving and increasing trend in HIV incidence in these states as they are densely populated with poor health services and less socio-economic developed States. So, the information, education, and communications programs on HIV should be strengthened in the states having a higher number of persons with HIV. The district-level planning and monitoring of the programs may help to arrest the rising incidence in the socio-economically poor states of India before it’s too late. Key words: HIV/AIDS Incidence, HMIS, SDG