450 Bombay police test positive for HIV& Mandatory HIV test for city cops

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Two news items about HIV infection among Mumbai police.[Moderator]

1) Bombay police test positive for HIV

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8344497%

255E1702,00.html

2) HIV test made mandatory for city cops

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/411053.cms

1) Bombay police test positive for HIV

January 07, 2004. HUNDREDS of policemen in Bombay tested positive for

HIV in recent health examinations, prompting the police department to

launch an AIDS awareness drive, an official said today.

" Around 450 policemen have tested positive for HIV, " Prem Kishan

Jain, joint police commissioner for administration, said. The figure

is initial, with medical data not yet compiled for much of Bombay's

40,000-strong police force. " A comprehensive campaign has been

launched and we are educating police officials about AIDS, " Jain

said. Jain said the department was studying how the police were

infected.

However, it is an open secret in Bombay that police are among the

major patrons of sex workers. Jain said most of the policemen who

tested positive for HIV were low-level constables who were not well-

educated. India officially has at least 4.58 million people with

HIV/AIDS, second only to South Africa with five million. A US study

last year said HIV cases would skyrocket if the government did not

move aggressively promote safe sex. Bombay policemen are known for

their long working hours, high stress levels and poor pay.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8344497%

255E1702,00.html

________________________

HIV test made mandatory for city cops

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ THURSDAY, JANUARY 08, 2004 01:44:55 AM ]

MUMBAI: Alarmed at the increasing number of HIV positive cases in the

force, the Mumbai police has decided to make it mandatory for each of

the 38,000 constables and officers up to the rank of inspector to

undergo a HIV test every six months.

As many as 450 police personnel have been tested HIV positive since

1991, of which 18 have succumbed to the disease. Dr D.R. Waje, police

surgeon and head of the Nagpada police hospital, said 301 HIV-

positive cases had been admitted in the hospital in the past five

years.

Said joint police commissioner (administration) P.K. Jain, " We want

to tackle the problem on a war-footing. In the first phase, we have

asked all the new recruits to carry a health card. They will have to

get themselves tested for HIV every six months and this will help us

in early detection of the disease. "

The police department plans to build a computer database of the HIV

status of its staff.

Insiders say that several policemen indulge in high-risk behaviour. A

deputy commissioner confirmed that many policemen contracted the

virus from prostitutes.

Mr Jain recently took a review of such cases and has now decided to

create an AIDS awareness programme at 83 police stations and 12 crime

branch units in Mumbai. More than 800 policemen have been trained to

create the awareness through posters, street plays and personal

interaction.

Dr Alka Gogate, project director, Mumbai District AIDS Control

Society (MDACS), said her organisation planned to carry out a

scientific sample survey to study the real prevalence of AIDS among

police personnel. " The figures are alarming enough. But this data

talks about what the police hospital has come across. We want to

assess the actual incidence, " she asserted.

The MDACS also plans to set up a voluntary testing and counselling

centre right at the Nagpada police hospital.

H I V specialist I.S. Gilada claims to have treated 100 cases over

the past 10 years, " Policemen who come to me have had typical

symptoms of HIV like tuberculosis, and over 90 per cent of them also

have some sexually transmitted disease as well, " he said.

However, some HIV specialists contest the theory of high prevalence

among policemen.

Retroviral physician Shashank Joshi says the incidence of infection

among policemen is low. " I have treated thousands of HIV-positive

persons in my five years of practice at J.J. Hospital and Lilavati

Hospital , but I have not come across a single HIV-positive

policeman, " he stressed.

Going by the figures put out by the Nagpada hospital, he said, every

profession was at high risk. Dr Joshi said policemen needed targeted

intervention, not for HIV at the moment, but for other ailments.

" They are increasingly suffering from hypertension, diabetes, and

heart disease, " he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/411053.cms