Drug abuse, homosexuality and migrant crisis challenge Kerala's fight against AIDS, officials say

Thiruvananthapuram: The efforts to bring down HIV positive cases are facing fresh challenges in Kerala including high prevalence of youths indulging in homosexuality and drug abuse as well as the increasing floating population of migrants, the officials said.

As per Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS), 211 out of the 843 HIV positive cases reported so far this year (April to November) were among people from other states, which means 25 per cent of fresh cases in the state are in migrants.

KSACS's analysis also found that many of the fresh cases being detected in the state were youngsters who are either indulging in drug abuse by sharing syringes or indulging in homosexuality.

Despite massive campaigns against AIDS, the total number of HIV positive cases being reported in the state continues to remain at around 1,200.

While 1,183 HIV positive cases were reported in the 2022-23 financial year, in the 2023-24 fiscal it slightly went up to 1,263. In the first eight months of this fiscal 843 cases were reported. Around 75 percent of the infected are males.

Among the 211 persons from other states found with HIV positive infection in Kerala so far in this fiscal, the highest number was from Assam with 77, followed by 35 from Tamil Nadu, 25 from West Bengal and 16 from Bihar.

KSACS project director Sreelatha R told DH that since homosexuality and drug abuse were found to be leading to increasing HIV positive infection among youngsters, focused campaigns targeting these sectors were being carried out.

With regard to migrant workers the major challenge is that many are not revealing correct identity which makes it difficult to track them as they are a floating population, she said.