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595 people were recorded HIV positive every month in 2009
As the world observed 'AIDS Day' on Tuesday, these figures may not sound music to the ears of health planners in Bihar: An average 595 people were recorded HIV positive every month in 2009 as against zero cases reported in the State before 2001.
As the world observed 'AIDS Day' on Tuesday, these figures may not sound music to the ears of health planners in Bihar: An average 595 people were recorded HIV positive every month in 2009 as against zero cases reported in the State before 2001.
With 6,550 fresh cases detected in the current year in Bihar, the total number of people with HIV stands at 24,835. However, these figures, mainly drawn from the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC), are far below than that of the estimated cases, which are around 82,000. These figures may be rising every day despite pumping of crores of rupees in the name of HIV prevention and treatment programme. On an average, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) spends about Rs 22 crore each month in Bihar to contain its spread.
The most frightening aspect of the story is, that many of those who have tested positive lately, had no outside contacts. They were neither migrant labourers, nor had they eve stayed outside Bihar. None of them is a trucker, nor had they any blood transfusion in the recent past. The conclusion is that, these are largely cases developed during family links and in association with HIV positive male migrants, who come in periodically and seek cohabitation with spouses." The development is certainly alarming and needs to be examined closely," feel experts on HIV.
The health planners, however, do not seem to be worried with the figures. "We are far better than many of the HIV case affected states in the country," said additional project director of the Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS) Sibi P. Alex.
"The figures of HIV/AIDS are not unusual," said project director of the society Ravi Parmar adding, " Because of the tightened surveillance, more and more cases are coming to light."
Experts wonder, how with such a truncated infrastructure, the BSACS could take on HIV, which is fast spreading in the districts with heavier migrant flow. Of its 207 integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTC), hardly 40 per cent are working. Some are already non-functional, while some continue to manage somehow to function with depleted staff and inadequate instruments. "We are gearing up to face the situation," Parmar told a crowded Press conference on the eve of the " World AIDS Day". Only time will be a testimony to his assertion.
