Colombo, March 31 — Sri Lanka has recorded a sharp increase in HIV/AIDS cases in 2024, with health authorities confirming over 800 new infections this year alone.
According to the National STD/AIDS Control Program, a total of 824 cases were reported in 2024, reflecting an 18% rise compared to 694 cases recorded in 2023. The trend has raised concern among public health officials and medical professionals.
Among those infected in 2024, 99 men and 13 women were aged between 15 and 24, while the rest were aged 25 and above. Alarmingly, 210 cases were reported in the fourth quarter of 2024 (October to December)—the highest number recorded in a single quarter since 2009.
The country also registered 47 deaths related to HIV/AIDS during the year. In efforts to strengthen early detection and prevention, over one million HIV tests were conducted nationwide.
The transgender community accounted for 18 officially reported HIV cases in 2024. Since 2009, a total of 4,909 men and 1,521 women have been diagnosed with HIV in Sri Lanka.
A medical officer from the National STD/AIDS Control Program commented on the growing numbers, attributing the rise to several key factors: increased testing capacity, lack of sex education, risky sexual behavior, and inadequate adherence to preventive measures.
Authorities are urging the public to take HIV prevention seriously and to make use of the free testing and counseling services available across the country.
