Chennai, Nov 30 – Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister M. K. Stalin reaffirmed his government’s pledge to wipe out new HIV/AIDS cases by 2030. He said the state’s long‑term programme has already put Tamil Nadu far ahead of the national average.
Speaking at a World AIDS Day 2025 event on December 1, CM Stalin praised the state’s progress as a product of almost forty years of political resolve, robust public‑health measures and active community engagement.
He recalled that India’s first HIV diagnosis came from Chennai in 1986, and described Tamil Nadu’s journey from that early warning to becoming one of the best performers in the country for HIV prevention and treatment.
The success, he attributed, stems from steady interventions led by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) alongside non‑governmental agencies, medical institutes and community groups.
Tamil Nadu’s HIV prevalence has dropped from 1.11 % in 2002 to just 0.16 % in 2023–24, well below the national figure of 0.23 %. This benchmark remains a goal for many states.
CM Stalin highlighted the state’s robust care network, which now includes 2,600 integrated counselling and testing centres, 81 anti‑retroviral therapy (ART) sites and 172 link ART units spread across districts.
He also stressed the comprehensive maternal‑health programme that screens every pregnant woman for HIV and syphilis, curbing mother‑to‑child transmission and drastically reducing new paediatric cases.
Reaffirming his administration’s social role, the Chief Minister noted the monthly subsidy of Rs 1,000 granted to 7,618 HIV‑infected and affected children, helping meet their nutrition, education and health needs.
Referring to this year’s World AIDS Day theme, “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response,” CM Stalin said the path forward demands fresh strategies to tackle new vulnerabilities in a fast‑shifting world.
He called on everyone to reject stigma and discrimination, treating people living with HIV with dignity, respect and compassion as Tamil Nadu moves toward a future free of new HIV/AIDS infections.
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