Kerala to conduct HIV/AIDS surveillance

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Kerala to conduct HIV/AIDS surveillance

Friday, June 3, 2005 (Thiruvananthapuram):

Kerala is to conduct a three-month sentinel surveillance from August

1 this year to identify the growth rate of HIV infection in the

state.

The state has an estimated HIV positive population between 70,000

and one lakh.

Data from blood transfusion centres, voluntary counseling and

testing centres, hospitals and Sexually-transmitted diseases clinics

would be collected during the surveillance period for getting the

new figure of HIV-infected in the state.

The state, which had 0.25 percent of its three crore population

infected with HIV in 2003, reported an increase to 0.33 per cent in

2004 and is now classified as a " vulnerable " state by the National

AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).

Anti-natal clinics

For the surveillance, KSACS was also identifying certain hospitals

as anti-natal clinics where blood samples of pregnant women coming

for other tests would be tested for HIV without their knowledge.

The figures from these hospitals, along with the results from other

testing centres and the demographic constitution of the sexually

active population would be the key elements to determine the

percentage of HIV positive population.

Eight centres had been identified this year for the testing which

would be totally anonymous as the samples would be collected at

random.

Such tests were conducted at hospitals in Kottayam, Thodupuzha,

Kannur, Thrissur, Kanhirappally, Kodungallur and Taliparamba last

year.

ART centers

The data from the 131 blood transfusion centres in the state where

1.5 lakh unit transfusion takes place annually and monthly reports

from government and private hospitals are the crucial figures used

by KSACS to determine the HIV population.

ph said Kerala was the first state to introduce free Anti

Retroviral Therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS patients. The state now has

five ART centres where medicines were being distributed to patients.

KSACS has also set up 15 Voluntary Testing and Counselling Centres

in all the districts in the state. A total of 887 people were tested

HIV positive at the VTC centres since they started functioning last

year, he said.

The society is now giving thrust to Prevention of Parent To Child

Transmission (PPTCT).

The risk of an HIV-infected pregnant woman passing on the disease to

the child could be reduced from 35 per cent to five per cent if she

is put on medication during pregnancy, he said. (PTI)

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