PANAJI
Goa has reported a striking fall in AIDS-related deaths over five years, even as the number of people living with HIV continues to rise.
Data placed in the Rajya Sabha shows deaths in the State dropped from 105 in 2020 to just 24 in 2025. The decline comes alongside expanded access to free Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) under the National AIDS & STD Control Programme (NACP).
The figures reveal a steady increase in people living with HIV in Goa, from 3,592 in 2020 to 4,285 in 2025.
New infections peaked at 113 in 2021 but fell to 90 by 2025.
Officials said the fall in deaths reflects improved treatment coverage and monitoring of drug supplies. The government stressed that no shortages of ARV medicines were reported nationwide, with supplies centrally procured and tracked through an online system.
The NACP Phase-V mid-term review, conducted in 2025, found most programme targets achieved or surpassed but recommends stronger advocacy at State and district levels and tighter monitoring of interventions for high-risk groups.
The review highlighted prevention as a continuing priority.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare told the Rajya Sabha that prevention projects are executed through NGOs and community-based organisations, targeting sex workers, homosexuals, transgender persons, drug users, migrants, and truckers.
Awareness drives aim to improve risk perception among youth, while HIV counseling and testing services have expanded community-based screening, linking new cases to ART centres, Patel said.
Screening of pregnant women is also enhanced to prevent mother-to-child transmission, she said.
Patel also said that measures to strengthen prevention, early detection, safe medical practices, and treatment access are being scaled up.
Goa’s numbers meanwhile mirror the national trend: new infections remain a challenge, but treatment access is saving lives. With deaths falling sharply, India’s HIV/AIDS response is on track, though vigilance is essential as PLHIV numbers rise, Patel added.
