AIDS cases on the rise in Himachal Pradesh

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AIDS cases on the rise in Himachal Pradesh

By Baldev S. Chauhan, Shimla, Mar 30 (IANS) :

Himachal Pradesh has seen a rise in the number of AIDS cases with more men

moving to other parts of the country in search of livelihood and contracting the

disease.

According to official records, 736 people in the state have tested HIV positive.

Of them, 175 are full blown cases.

But authorities fear the actual number could be over 4,000 cases as lack of

awareness kept people from undergoing tests.

" The most affected are the 'high risk' group including taxi drivers in

metropolitan cities, besides truck drivers, " an official said.

" Among the 12 districts of the state, Hamirpur tops the list with 184 HIV/AIDS

cases, followed by Kangra reporting 124 cases, while Bilaspur has 124 and Mandi

90 cases, " the official said.

All these districts fall in the lower regions of Himachal Pradesh where the rise

in AIDS cases is said to be due to men moving to other parts of the country in

search of work.

Virtually no cash crops are grown in lower hills of the state and there is a

rising number of unemployed people.

The official records reveal a steady rise in the number AIDS cases since it was

first reported in 1992. There has been a spurt especially in the last three

years.

Once outside the state the risk of contracting the disease rises considerably,

the official said.

It was found over 95 per cent of patients acquired the infection due to unsafe

sex, while the rest was due to transmission from infected mothers to their

children.

No case of infection through blood or fluid transfusion has been reported,

according to the findings.

According to a survey by the state AIDS control society (SACS), about 87 per

cent of the HIV positive cases were also infected with tuberculosis.

" In India, about 40 per cent of the HIV positive cases are vulnerable to

tuberculosis, but the figure is much higher in Himachal Pradesh, " said C.D.

Sharma, a doctor working on AIDS control here

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