2,234 persons across India have been infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while getting blood transfusions in the last 17 months. Uttar Pradesh was reported with maximum number of such cases due to unsafe blood transfusion practices in hospitals.

Gujarat with 292 cases, Maharashtra with 276 and Delhi with 264 cases are the other leading States where patients have been transfused unsafe blood.

National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) revealed the data n response to a Right to Information query by activist Chetan Kothari.

Mr. Kothari said, “The government has been slackening on raising AIDS awareness due to budget cuts. Cases like these keep happening over and over again and no action is taken against erring hospitals and blood banks. This is an extremely serious issue, and the government needs to address it urgently".

According to NACO’s 2015 annual report, the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs) in India was estimated at around 20.9 lakh in 2011. Nearly 86 % of these patients are in the 15-49 age-group.

Children less than 15 years of age accounted for 7 % or 1.45 lakh of all infections in 2011 while 39 % (8.16 lakh) were among women.