A WORKSHOP on ‘Training Physicians in HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Awareness Programmes’ was held at the Indian Medical Association on Sunday
Speaking on the occasion, Dr GN Srivastava, senior medical officer (Casualty) at Sir Sunderlal Hospital in Banaras Hindu University, said, “About 86
per cent of cases of HIV and AIDS in India are due to unsafe sex.”
“Besides, 2.4 per cent patients get infected due to use of injectable drugs, 2 per cent due to blood transfusion, 5.6 per cent due to pre-natal factors and 6 per cent due to unreported causes.”
He suggested that people should not panic even if HIV infection was detected as proper treatment could enable them to lead a normal life.
Among the precautions that he listed were use of disposable syringes, conducting ante-natal check-up and avoiding unsafe sex. Dr Srivastava discussed various issues such as reducing HIV transmission, presentation of HIV and Anti Retro Viral (ARV) treatment.
He told the participating physicians about clinical symptoms of HIV/AIDS. He suggested that they conduct proper diagnosis of the patients once symptoms such as weight loss, fever, unexplained diarrhoea, lymph node enlargement and opportunistic infection were detected.
Prof MR Sen of the Microbiology Department at the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS-BHU) dwelt upon epidemiology, basics of HIV, recognising and testing for HIV and introduction of treatment with ARV. IMA secretary Dr Sanjay Rai conducted the programme in which 100 physicians participated.
{{/usCountry}}Prof MR Sen of the Microbiology Department at the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS-BHU) dwelt upon epidemiology, basics of HIV, recognising and testing for HIV and introduction of treatment with ARV. IMA secretary Dr Sanjay Rai conducted the programme in which 100 physicians participated.
{{/usCountry}}The National AIDS Control Organisation, in association with the local chapter of the IMA, organised the seminar.