Andhra Pradesh launches all-out war against HIV with condoms

Aug 13, 2012

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh has witnessed a decline in AIDS cases among the high risk group like sex workers and truck drivers, thanks to the significant rise in the use of condoms.

“There has been a 100 per cent rise in condom usage for the past four years,” Dr PL Jayachandra Reddy, joint director of AP State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) said.

“For 2012-13, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) had supplied over 10.5 crore condoms. For the first five months, about 5.5 crore condoms were distributed free to the people of the high risk group. There are only 5 crore condoms left for the next seven months,” he said.

At present, Uttar Pradesh tops the country in condom use, followed by West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. As per the recent survey conducted by APSACS and NACO, prevalence of HIV among female sex workers has dropped from 11 per cent in 2008 to seven per cent in 2012.