25,000 declared HIV positive in J&K

[Guest guest]

(Will UNAIDS Global AIDS Map makers take note of this. According to UNAIDS AIDS

map JK is an areas decleared as " no reported data " . Moderator)

25,000 declared HIV positive in J & K

THE KASHMIR TIMES

[ MONDAY, DECEMBER 02, 2002 11:43:44 PM ]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/comp/articleshow?artid=300906

73 & sType=1

SRINAGAR: Lethal AIDS has finally made strong inroads in the conservative

society of Jammu and Kashmir. Nearly 25,000 people have been declared HIV

positive in the state.

An alarming increase in the number of HIV positive cases has sent chill down

the spine of people in the valley. Projected estimates released by National

AIDS Control Organization (NACO) has put the number of HIV positive cases in

the state at 25,000.

Alarmed by the growing number of HIV positive cases, Government Medical

College and AIDS Prevention and Control Society of Jammu and Kashmir have

started a massive campaign to spread awareness among the people about this

disease.

" We are trying to create awareness among the people of Kashmir through

different media. We are trying to target the people who are vulnerable to

this disease. We have started awareness campaign in schools and other

educational institutions. Besides we have also conducted awareness campaign

in the central jails " , said Dr Muneer A Masoodi, head of department of

social and preventive medicine , Government Medical College Srinagar.

Figures released by the SMHS hospital Srinagar reveal that two persons

including a woman have died after falling prey to deadly AIDS in Kashmir

last year.

Students studying outside the state, frequent travelers, persons associated

with tourism sector and businessmen are among the high risk groups. Reports

indicate that most of the students who have this infection do not go for

blood screening so easily.

____________________________________

[Guest guest]

If that figure is correct it makes J & K the highest prevalance State in India

displacing Tamil Nadu.

I also reinforces the contention that war zones are the worst areas for the

spread of sexually transmissable infections which also has serious

implications for the military personnel serving there.

Geoff Heaviside

E-mail:<gheaviside@...>

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