E-Paper
Alarming rise in number of HIV positive cases
THE FRESH data of HIV positive patients in Allahabad district shows fearful gaps in the implementation of government's AIDS control programme.
THE FRESH data of HIV positive patients in Allahabad district shows fearful gaps in the implementation of government's AIDS control programme.
In the last five years, the number of HIV patients, particularly children carrying the deadly disease, have increased over 10-fold. The only exception was the year 2003 in which 37 HIV positive patients were reported at the Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre (VCTC) at Department of Microbiology, Moti Lal Nehru Medical College here.
What is more shocking is the fact that people of one particular community are still "fearful" to get themselves tested for HIV at the government testing centres thereby putting a question mark on the success of AIDS control programme.
According to the fresh data compiled by the VCTC at Department of Microbiology, 90 samples were tested in year 2001, out of which 18 people tested HIV positive.
Amongst them 12 were male and six female. In 2002, 289 samples were tested out of which 68 people tested HIV positive.
Amongst them 46 were male and 22 female. These also included five HIV positive children below 14 years of age. In 2003, of the total 37 HIV positive patients, three were children.
In the year 2004, of the total 969 samples tested, 221 were found HIV positive. Amongst them 147 were male and 74 female.
This year, 16 children were also found suffering from dreaded virus.
In 2005, 1258 samples were tested out of which 307 people were found HIV positive. Amongst them 202 were male and 105 female.
As many as 22 children were also identified as HIV positive patients.
In 2006 upto May over 139 HIV patients have been identified. About 91 patients amongst them were male and 48 female. Sources said barring one particular community, people of all creeds and age have started coming to the testing centres for HIV counselling and testing.
"They may suffer from some kind of fear or ignorance due to which less than five people of a particular community came in the past few years for HIV testing.
The implications are serious and calls for urgent necessary measures," the source said.
Head of Microbiology Department Dr Anudita Bhargava said every month at least 15 to 20 people are testing positive at the VCTC.
The ratio of male and female HIV positive patients was 2:1.
"The trend of HIV patients is rising. But more number of samples also indicates that people have become aware and want to get themselves tested," she added.
