There are 12.51 lakh HIV/AIDS patients are in the country. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today, Health Minister J P Nadda said 50 thousand and 735 new cases of HIV/ AIDS have been detected so far in this year. Currently, phase IV of the National AIDS control programme is under implementation. <br/><br/>All persons, who test positive for HIV, are linked to Anti-Retro Viral Therapy (ART) centres and provided free ART. Mr Nadda said, at present there are 536 ART centres and 1108 Link ART centres in the country providing free ART treatment. The Minister said, India has achieved the AIDS targets of Millennium Development Goal 6. The epidemic has been halted and reversed. <br/><br/>Between 2000 and 2015, new HIV infections dropped from 2.51 lakhs to 86 thousand, a reduction of 66 per cent against the global average of 35 per cent. Similarly AIDS related deaths have declined by 54 per cent since 2007 against a global decline of 41 per cent. Thus, India not only achieved the MDG targets but also has exceeded the global average.