More than 14,500 people have died due to HIV in three-and-half years since April 2009 across Maharashtra, State Health Minister Suresh Shetty today said.
In a written reply given in the Legislative Council, Shetty today said that between April 1, 2009, to September 30, 2012, about 1,67,151 people were affected due to HIV as per records from Integrated Counselling and Testing ICTC centers.
The minister was countering a point raised by Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt during the Question Hour, in which Dutt stated that 3,43,079 people have been affected due to HIV since April 1, 2009.
Shetty said that according to records from anti retro-viral therapy (ART) centres, 14,728 people died due to HIV over a period of three years.
He also informed the House that 53 ART centers have been started by Maharashtra State Aids Control Society's Mumbai unit to facilitate AIDS patients.
Also, awareness programmes to prevent the spread of disease are being organised on special days like Yuva Day, Women's Day, World Aids Day etc, the minister said.
