Mumbai: Barely a fortnight after World AIDS Day, when India celebrated a 49% drop in new HIV infections since 2010, data from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) points to a nagging problem: Patients dropping out of treatment.The data, acquired using the RTI Act by south Mumbai resident Chetan Kothari, showed that 20,312 HIV-positive people dropped out of treatment or were “lost to treatment” in 2024-25. The corresponding number for 2025-26 (till September 30) was 9,969. Mumbai and Maharashtra — considered a HIV/AIDS hotspot since the global epidemic began almost 40 years back — has 833 “lost to treatment” in 2025-26 (till September 30).Maharashtra is the only state to have two local AIDS control societies: Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS) and Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (MSACS).While MDACS and MSACS witnessed a reduction in the dropout rate during the Covid pandemic, officials said that the rate is higher since. In 2020-21, Maharashtra registered 1,045 dropouts, and the number dropped to 1,000 in the next financial year. In 2022-23, the number increased to 1,214 and further to 1,290 and 1,450 in 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively.“In Mumbai, we usually have 100-200 patients who are lost to treatment every year, but on follow-up, we realise that most of them are migrants who relocated to their hometown after a few years of treatment in Mumbai,” said a senior MDACS official.Dr Ishwar Gilada of the People’s Health Organisation said, “The dropout rate is worrisome for any health programme. More so in HIV, where the national programme has made efforts to ensure free anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and tests are available for those who need it.”According to NACO, over 2.5 million people are living with HIV (PLHIV) in India. Of these, 1.8 million are on ART treatment. Patients can pick up the medicines from the designated centres once in three months and undergo viral load testing.The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the body’s immune system and makes the person susceptible to diseases; ART keeps the viral load in check, allowing the person to remain healthy.According to NACO data released on December 16, roughly 1% of the patients are lost to treatment every year. MDACS officials said the organisation holds special drives to check on people who have not returned for medicines or tests. “We call the person three times over three months before declaring them as ‘lost to follow’,” he said. Efforts are also made to trace the patient back to his/her state by contacting the local AIDS society.
