Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Aug 1: The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) has strongly denied viral claims circulating on social media and in sections of the media that HIV testing has been made mandatory for college students across the state.
The society also dismissed rumours that 7,000 students in Karnataka have recently been confirmed to be HIV-positive, describing such reports as ‘baseless’.
Padma Basavanthappa, project director of the Karnataka AIDS Prevention Society, released a video clarifying that making HIV testing mandatory is illegal. Instead, she said, the government encourages people to assess their own risk of HIV infection through digital platforms and undergo testing voluntarily if required.
"False messages regarding mandatory HIV testing are being circulated on social media, news channels, and newspapers," Basavanthappa said in an official statement.
Clarifying the current HIV statistics in Karnataka, she said that according to the Sankalak database, the state has recorded 2,91,341 HIV-positive individuals. Of these, around 2,03,000 are in contact with the department and are undergoing treatment.
She explained that the overall figure includes deceased persons as well as those receiving treatment in the private sector, resulting in a discrepancy of around 56,000 cases in the data.
"Of this gap, 18,000 belong to the private sector, and we have identified those facilities. The remaining 38,000 individuals are believed to be HIV-positive but remain undiagnosed. They are unaware of their HIV status and may be transmitting the infection through sexual activity," she said.
The project director added that changing lifestyles and digital platforms have made it increasingly difficult for health authorities to identify high-risk individuals.
"With the growing use of dating apps and virtual platforms to meet people, it has become extremely difficult to trace such individuals because they often do not know each other's addresses. As a result, the only way forward is to create awareness so that people assess their own risk and voluntarily approach our centres," she said.
To address the issue, KSAPS has introduced a technology-driven awareness campaign featuring QR codes and the BreakFree mobile application.
"We are creating awareness through QR codes linked to the BreakFree app. By scanning the code, users can answer questions related to HIV risk assessment. If a person is identified as being at risk, they can contact a counsellor through the app or locate the nearest testing centre. The app provides details of HIV testing centres across India," she said.
Basavanthappa further clarified that the government cannot compel anyone to undergo HIV testing.
"After assessing their own level of risk, individuals who believe they may be at risk should visit our centres for HIV testing and further treatment. We are not insisting on mandatory testing anywhere, as compulsory testing is against the law. Under the HIV/AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, no individual can be forced to undergo an HIV test," she said.