KATHMANDU, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has witnessed a significant decline in new HIV/AIDS infections, recording a 76 percent drop in new cases between 2010 and 2024, according to Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population.
According to the National Center for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC) under the Ministry of Health and Population, an estimated 614 new HIV infections occurred in 2024, representing a 76 percent decrease compared to 2010, when 2,557 new cases were recorded.
In 2024, an estimated 37 children (0-14 years) were newly infected, an 86 percent decrease from 2010, when 260 children were estimated to have contracted HIV.
Lok Raj Pandey, information officer at NCASC, said that new HIV/AIDS infections have declined due to the expansion of preventive and treatment services in the country. "In the past, there was only one antiretroviral (ARV) therapy center in Kathmandu for HIV/AIDS patients, but the number has now grown to 96 nationwide," he said.
According to the NCASC, an estimated 34,337 adults and children are living with HIV in Nepal. Of them, 26,372 people are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy. ■
