Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, July 11: More than 56,000 people living with HIV in Karnataka are unaware of their infection, posing a significant challenge for the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) in identifying them and bringing them under treatment, according to reports.
As part of its newly launched Mission AIDS Suraksha (MAS) campaign, KSAPS has identified 56,406 people who are living with HIV but do not know their status. Officials said the initiative is aimed at tracing these individuals and ensuring they are linked to life-saving treatment.
As of June 28, 2026, Karnataka has 205,350 people living with HIV, all of whom are receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
Mission AIDS Suraksha carries the message, "Know Your Status," with the twin objectives of reducing the social stigma associated with HIV and encouraging voluntary, confidential HIV testing. The campaign also seeks to reinforce the message that HIV can be prevented, detected at an early stage and effectively managed through timely treatment.
Officials said that when HIV is diagnosed early and ART is initiated without delay, the virus can be effectively suppressed, enabling those infected to lead long, healthy and productive lives.
The campaign also promotes the globally recognised message, "Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U)," meaning that people living with HIV who adhere to regular treatment and maintain an undetectable viral load do not transmit the virus to their sexual partners.
During 2025–26, more than 3.757 million people underwent HIV testing across Karnataka, leading to the detection of 11,322 new HIV-positive cases. Among those tested were 1.198 million pregnant women, of whom 451 were newly diagnosed as HIV-positive. In addition, 1,009 pregnant women who were already known to be HIV-positive were monitored and provided appropriate care, officials said.
In the first two months of the 2026–27 financial year, 411,000 people underwent HIV testing, resulting in the detection of 2,057 new HIV-positive cases.
One of the campaign's key features is the introduction of the "Break Free QR Code", designed to provide information on HIV risk and connect people with counselling and HIV testing services.
The QR code encourages adults to learn their HIV status, promotes HIV and syphilis testing among pregnant women, and urges people experiencing symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to seek early diagnosis and treatment.
According to The New Indian Express, KSAPS officials said expanding access to testing, reducing stigma and ensuring timely treatment remain central to the state's efforts to strengthen HIV control and improve public health outcomes.