After Maharashtra and UP, Bihar has ranked third in the nation with 8,000 new cases of new infections annually. However, since 2010, the infection rates have been reduced by 27%. Dr. S Siddhartha Shankar Reddy, health specialist of UNICEF Bihar stated that higher cases of new infections are reported amongst youngsters as shown by the sentinel survey by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in 2017 with men who have sex with men or a gay and intravenous drug user accounted for the increased number. Meanwhile, the trend of cases has declined among female sex workers.

Dr. Reddy also added that the state is far behind the national average of 0.22% with its people living with HIV prevalence rate at 0.17%. 

Statistically, during the pandemic years, 2020-21 and 2019-20, 5,77,103 and 8,51,346 people were screened respectively. Out of the total HIV testing, 1.12% and 1.16% were found to be HIV positive respectively showing a declining trend in the number of people turning HIV/AIDS positive as reported by the health officials.

Source: Hindustan Times