HIV affected people increasing in state: health minister
Mumbai, Mar 12 : To curb the increasing number of HIV affected people, the state government has taken several effective measures, including launching 53 centres.
Maharashtra Health minister Suresh Shetty today informed the legislative council, in a written reply during question hour, that in past three-and-half years at least 14,728 people died due to HIV and in the same period 1,67,151 new HIV affected people were registered.
He was replying to query by Sanjay Dutt that from April 1, 2009 to September 30, 2012 over 1,67,151 HIV affected people were registered by the integrated counselling and testing centre (ICTC).
However, the minister rejected the figure of 3,43,079 HIV affected people provided by the Mr Dutt in his question.
He said the government has launched 53 centres in the state through the Maharashtra State AIDS control society's, Mumbai unit. The government has also initiated several awareness programmes to curb the HIV affected people.