New Delhi: Health Minister Pankaj Singh said HIV awareness is not only a health issue but also a matter of social responsibility as the Delhi government intensified its awareness, prevention, testing and treatment campaign targeting the infection, officials said on Thursday.
The campaign will specifically focus on youth, communities, schools and colleges, they said.
The intensified Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign, being implemented by the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS), will run across urban and rural areas of Delhi for the next two months under the message “Know AIDS – No AIDS”.
It was launched on the occasion of International Youth Day at Dr BSA Hospital in Rohini, with more than 600 students, NGOs, partner organisations and community stakeholders participating in the event. An awareness rally was also organised as part of the campaign.
In a statement released here, the health minister stressed the need to ensure access to correct information, timely testing, treatment and support.
“We must remove the myths and misconceptions surrounding HIV and ensure that no person living with HIV faces discrimination because of their condition,” Singh said, adding that HIV awareness is also a matter of social responsibility.
The minister said young people have a critical role in creating a well-informed and responsible society and urged students, educational institutions, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations and community representatives to participate in the campaign and spread scientifically accurate information on HIV prevention and treatment.
The campaign will focus on HIV transmission and prevention, early testing and treatment, and the rights and protections available to people living with HIV under the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017.
As part of the campaign, awareness meetings will be held at village, colony and slum levels, along with folk performances, school and college outreach programmes, flash mobs, awareness rallies, door-to-door campaigns, HIV awareness and testing camps, and digital and social media outreach.
“Our focus is to take HIV awareness beyond hospitals and healthcare centres and into communities, educational institutions and households. Early testing and timely treatment can make a significant difference,” Singh said.
“At the same time, we need to create an environment where people feel safe to seek testing and treatment without fear of stigma or discrimination,” he said.
Under the National AIDS and STD Control Programme, 14.29 lakh HIV tests were conducted in Delhi during 2025-26, resulting in 5,570 HIV detections, according to the government.
As many as 44,546 people living with HIV/AIDS are currently under active care at 12 Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) Centres in Delhi. The programme is also covering 92.13 per cent of the mapped high-risk groups through targeted interventions.
Delhi has 87 Red Ribbon Clubs in colleges, while Sampoorna Suraksha Kendras have also been established to strengthen comprehensive HIV-related services.
The government said the campaign will also undertake intensified case finding, community-based HIV screening, mobile testing initiatives and integrated health camps.
The Delhi government is also providing financial assistance to eligible people living with HIV through a dedicated scheme implemented by DSACS.
A total of 8,047 beneficiaries have been enrolled under the scheme, which covers different categories, including people living with HIV/AIDS, children living with HIV and orphan or destitute children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.
