Telangana to Launch QR Code HIV Risk Assessment Tool Following HMDA Grounds Rally
Telangana will roll out a QR-code-based HIV self-assessment facility on August 15, following the launch of a two-month statewide awareness campaign at HMDA Grounds in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The initiative by the Telangana State AIDS Control Society (TGSACS) allows residents to assess their HIV risk privately through digital access.
Under the new system, QR codes will be displayed across public places, hospitals, offices, and other key locations. Members of the public can scan the code and answer seven simple questions to evaluate their risk level. Upon completion, users will receive guidance on risk status and details regarding nearby free testing facilities, counselling services, community service centres, and the 1097 HIV/AIDS toll-free helpline.
The launch event at HMDA Grounds marked the start of an intensified campaign running from August 12 to October 12 focused on HIV/AIDS and Syphilis awareness. The event featured a walkathon with over 1,600 participants, a rally with more than 50 motorcycles and 25 auto-rickshaws, and a Mobile Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) van rally. Participants carried placards and umbrellas displaying QR codes and health messaging.
Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar attended the campaign launch alongside TGSACS Project Director K. Vidyasagar, Health and Family Welfare Principal Secretary Christina Z. Chongtu, GHMC Commissioner RV Kannan, Health Director Dr. Ravindra Nayak, and film artist Tanikella Bharani. Speaking at the gathering, Minister Prabhakar stressed that individual participation is crucial to eliminating misconceptions about HIV and AIDS and raising awareness for disease control.
According to official programme documents, Telangana improved its standing in national HIV programme implementation from 31st position among states and union territories in 2022–23 to fifth position in 2025–26. As of July 2026, 87.2 per cent of estimated people living with HIV in the state knew their status, 100 per cent of diagnosed individuals were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 96.1 per cent of those tested had achieved viral suppression.
The state currently operates 127 ICTCs, 11 Mobile ICTCs, 22 ART centres, 11 ART centres under public-private partnerships, 48 designated STI/RTI clinics, and 30 Sampoorna Suraksha Kendras.
