Haryana Achieves Major Success in HIV Control

Chandigarh, September 11:- Haryana has recorded a major success in its fight against HIV/AIDS. Dr. Sumita Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, said here today that the state has significantly improved its performance against the global 95-95-95 targets within just a few months and has emerged among the top-performing states in the country.
Detailing the rapid implementation of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr. Mishra said that Haryana has made significant progress through aggressive patient tracking, targeted interventions, expanded testing, continuity of treatment and an unprecedented statewide awareness campaign. The campaign is particularly focused on young people and vulnerable communities.
In January 2026, the state stood at 85.2 per cent on the first '95' target and 83.7 per cent on the second '95' target, which have now increased to 93.2 per cent and 90.9 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, with 95.8 per cent 'viral suppression' (reduction in viral load), the state has already surpassed the third target.
Dr. Mishra said that this improvement reflects Haryana's efforts to ensure the diagnosis of people living with HIV, initiation of treatment and achievement of viral suppression.
At the district level, achieving a significant milestone, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Bhiwani, Panchkula and Yamunanagar have attained the full 'Safe' target status in the key operational targets of diagnosis, treatment and viral suppression. She said that Haryana's overall performance has placed the state among the top six performing states in the country.
Several other districts, including Ambala, Jind, Palwal, Faridabad, Rewari and Sonipat, have achieved significant treatment targets and are rapidly moving towards the full target status as 'Capable' districts.
Dr. Mishra said that Haryana has adopted an intensive tracking and patient-retention strategy to bring back people who had discontinued treatment or whose follow-up had been interrupted. Nearly half of such individuals have been successfully reconnected with the health system, helping ensure continuity of life-saving treatment.
The Haryana State AIDS Control Society has also strengthened its network of Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres, Antiretroviral Therapy Centres and Suraksha Clinics, which are providing free HIV testing, counselling, treatment support and viral load monitoring across the state.
The Additional Chief Secretary said that special emphasis is being laid on reaching vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations. Targeted interventions, including night and evening outreach programmes, are being conducted for migrants, truck drivers, female sex workers, people who inject drugs and transgender communities.
Haryana has also accelerated HIV screening in jails and Opioid Substitution Therapy centres through daily testing protocols. In addition, evening and weekend camps are being organized to reach communities that may remain outside the regular health service network.
She said that to ensure accountability and rapid implementation, the Project Director of the Haryana State AIDS Control Society and her team are regularly undertaking district visits, reviews and monitoring activities. The state has also strengthened coordination with Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh to trace and reconnect individuals who had been lost to follow-up.
Dr. Mishra said that integrated health camps are being organized to reach underserved populations, with comprehensive screening for HIV, Hepatitis-B, Hepatitis-C and non-communicable diseases.
As a major step in the field of communication, Haryana has launched a comprehensive multimedia Information, Education and Communication campaign aimed at delivering HIV prevention messages to every section of society.
According to Dr. Mishra, awareness messages are being displayed through LED screens at major railway stations and busy roadside locations, while video spots are being shown in cinema halls and broadcast on Doordarshan. Audio campaigns are being conducted through Akashvani (All India Radio), private FM channels and bus station announcement systems. The campaign also includes public transport branding through auto-hood wraps and cab displays.
To take the campaign to the grassroots, a Folk Media campaign will be launched across all districts from September 15. Traditional art forms will be used at the village and block levels to promote HIV testing, challenge myths and misinformation, and fight stigma and discrimination.
She also said that Youth Mobilisation has emerged as another major pillar of Haryana's large-scale campaign. Under the Intensive IEC Campaign 2026, several major programmes are being organized, including a major biker rally and walkathon in Panchkula and flash mobs at prominent public places to spread HIV prevention awareness.
Dr. Mishra informed that the 'Red Ribbon Quiz Competitions', organized in coordination with the Department of Secondary Education, are engaging school students across Haryana, while district-level 'Red Runs' will culminate in a state-level programme. Continuous training programmes are also being organized for Red Ribbon Club nodal teachers and peer educators to build a sustained peer-to-peer awareness network in educational institutions.
Dr. Mishra said that a 16-hour 'Adolescent Education Programme' is also being implemented for students of Classes 8, 9 and 11 to create awareness from an early age about HIV/AIDS, personal hygiene and related health issues.
She said that looking ahead, Haryana is further strengthening coordination among health authorities, district administrations, police and child development agencies to expand screening, particularly among pregnant women, and move towards eliminating the vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child.
Dr. Sumita Mishra said that Haryana is working with a clear long-term objective in line with the global 2030 targets—zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination. The recent achievements indicate that Haryana is moving rapidly towards stronger control over the epidemic.