India, May 14 -- Delhi's health department is actively trying to trace nearly 19,000 people living with HIV who have dropped out of treatment, with officials launching a targeted outreach drive amid concerns over interrupted care and rising transmission risks.

Data from the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) shows that over 18,668 HIV-positive individuals in the capital are no longer in touch with treatment centres, including thousands who never began antiretroviral therapy (ART) and others who discontinued it after starting care.

According to DSACS data from March 2026, Delhi has an estimated 65,445 people living with HIV. Of them, 4,703 patients have been categorised as permanently "lost to follow-up" (LFU) and are not on ART, w...