Bihar: Mandatory to report HIV/AIDS

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Reporting HIV/AIDS cases made mandatory in Bihar

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IANS

PATNA: Bihar has become the first Indian state to mandate that all new cases

of HIV/AIDS be reported to the state government.

" The state government has decided to declare HIV/AIDS as a notifiable

disease as a part of its effort to arrest its spread, " Health Commissioner

Ashok Kumar Choudhary said.

Till now, only government-run health centres and hospitals were reporting

new HIV/AIDS cases. Now, all doctors, private clinics and pathological

laboratories will have to inform the government of any fresh outbreak.

The step has been taken as a preventive measure even though Bihar lags

behind states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in the number

of HIV/AIDS cases.

In October, at least 100 HIV positive patients were detected at the

Darbhanga Medical College Hospital, bringing the total number of such cases

in the state to 1,700.

Officials say the number of full blown AIDS cases in the state is only 133.

The names of HIV/AIDS patients would be kept confidential. This information

would be restricted to senior officials of the health department and the

Bihar State Aids Control Society (BSACS).

" We would take care to maintain the confidentiality of any person affected

by HIV or AIDS, " BSACS Project Director C K Anil said.

While the number of HIV positive cases is increasing at a fast pace in

Bihar, the AIDS awareness drive launched by the state government with the

help of NGOs is yet to reach remote areas.

National Human Rights Commission Chairman J S Verma, during a visit here in

November, voiced concern over reports that an AIDS-affected family had been

ostracised.

He also asked government officials to reveal the true picture of AIDS in the

state because official figures did not present the correct picture.

The situation on the ground is quite alarming.

An AIDS patient in Narkatiaganj in East Champaran district killed himself,

his wife and his three children a few months ago due to the social stigma

attached to the disease.

In another case, the residents of Sahilarampur village in Muzaffarpur

district ostracised a family after three of its members died of AIDS in 18

months.

Experts say that the largescale migration from Bihar was responsible for the

spread of HIV/AIDS in the state.

" Most of those who have tested for HIV/AIDS are migrant labourers who have

returned from places like Delhi, Mumbai and Surat and towns in Andhra

Pradesh, " a health official said.

Some half a million people are estimated to migrate from the state every

year in search of jobs. Most of them are labourers in search of seasonal

jobs who return to the state for a brief while before venturing out again.

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