Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh has secured the first rank in the country for prevention of HIV/AIDS and provision of health care to the infected patients between April and September this month.

The ranking was given by the National Aids Control Organisation, said state AIDS control society’s project coordinator, K. Neelakanta Reddy, here on Thursday.

The half-yearly report released by NACO said it had analysed the functioning of AIDS control societies across the country based on 33 parameters and found that APSACS performed well in 25 of these.

APSACS fared well in identifying the high risk groups like truck drivers and sex workers, registered them for medical treatment and provided them awareness on HIV/AIDS. The society registered the cases, carried out HIV and syphilis tests for the pregnant women and provided treatment and initiated steps to prevent transmission of HIV and syphilis from mother to child.

The state reference labs and viral load labs are having accreditation from NABL.

With regard to HIV positivity cases, in 2015, the prevalence rate was 2.34 per cent; and by October, 2025, it has come down to 0.58 per cent. The death rate among infected patients has also come down. This was reported at 88.72 per cent in 2010.

AP also stood first to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child.

Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav congratulated the health officials and the staff members for getting the first rank in the country in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and for providing proper healthcare.

Yadav said that out of 138 marks through 33 parameters set by the NACO, Andhra Pradesh secured 105 marks. “AP secured the second place in the quarterly report from April to June. After this, both health officials and other employees worked hard and secured the first place in the assessment carried out from April to September,” he said.