The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) has dismissed social media and media reports claiming mandatory HIV testing for college students in Karnataka and rumours that 7,000 students recently tested positive for HIV in the state, describing these as “baseless”.
Padma Basavanthappa, Project Director of KSAPS, issued a video statement clarifying that mandatory HIV testing is prohibited by law and emphasised the government’s focus on voluntary risk assessment through digital platforms.
“Wrong messages regarding mandatory testing of HIV are being spread around in the social media, in the news media, and also in papers,” Basavanthappa said.
She provided updated statistics on HIV prevalence in Karnataka, stating, “As per the Sankalak, the prevalence rate in Karnataka is 2,91,341. Of this, 2,03,000 are with us, and they are on medication. Some numbers represent those who have passed away, and some are treated in the private sector. There is a gap of 56,000 shown in the data.”
Basavanthappa further explained, “In this gap, 18,000 are in the private sector, and we have listed those sectors. The remaining 38,000 are people who are positive but are not yet identified. They don’t know their own status and may be spreading HIV wherever they are engaging in sexual activities.”
The Project Director noted the challenges posed by modern lifestyle changes and digital platforms, stating, “It has become very difficult for us to identify these people due to dating apps and the virtual mode of meeting people, where they don’t know each other’s addresses and we are not able to trace them. Therefore, creating awareness is the only way to ensure people perform their own risk assessment and link back to our centres.”
To address this, KSAPS has launched a technology-driven awareness campaign using QR codes and the ‘BreakFree’ mobile application. Basavanthappa explained, “We are creating awareness through a QR code for the BreakFree app. By scanning the code, users answer questions for a risk assessment. Any person identified as being at risk can connect to a counsellor through the app or locate testing centres. All centres across India are listed there.”
Reaffirming the legal stance, she stated, “On assessing their risk, if they feel they are at risk, they should come to our centres for HIV identification and further treatment. Nowhere are we asking for mandatory testing, because mandatory testing is against the rules. As per the AIDS Prevention and Control Act 2017, no person can be mandated to undergo HIV testing.”
