I don't even know what HIV is

[Guest guest]

I don't even know what HIV is

By: Vaman Phadke

May 14, 2005

Last month, India became world's AIDS capital, overtaking South

Africa. The fight against AIDS is one against ignorance — 40 per

cent of rural India has never heard of it.

Vaman Phadke brings you the stories of two brave HIV+ mothers who

are battling to keep their newborns from being infected

Smita Das (name changed), a 22-year-old village girl, arrived in

Mumbai three months ago, when she was seven months pregnant. She

didn't know she was HIV positive, and risked passing the virus to

her newborn.

Smita's husband Kartik (28) had come to Mumbai five years ago for

the same reason most people do — a job. After a year of struggle, he

was hired to manage one of the city's hundreds of Chinese food

stalls.

A bachelor then, Kartik would frequent red light areas after work.

Then, two years ago, he visited his parents in Kolkata, who arranged

his marriage with Smita.

Smita was overjoyed, for Kartik was a loving, caring husband. Her

happiness, however, did not last long. When she arrived in Mumbai

for the birth of her baby, doctors at Cama and Albless Hospital

advised her to undergo an HIV test. Smita tested positive.

Kartik eventually revealed that he used to visit prostitutes, and

Smita turned hysterical. " I don't even know what HIV is or how I got

it. But the doctors say I can save my baby if I take my medicines on

time, " she said.

Determined to protect her baby, Smita got herself admitted to the

hospital. A week ago, she gave birth. Dr Yadav Jave, who performed

the delivery, said, " The chances of the virus passing from mother to

infant is high during delivery, so we gave her a single dose of

Nevirapine and a single dose of pediatric suspension to the infant

to reduce the risk. "

While it is too early to tell if her infant has been infected, Smita

is taking no chances. " I haven't breast fed him from day one. I have

been giving him powdered milk only, " she said tearfully.

Rehana Khan, 28, (name changed) is the mother of two children, 8 and

10 years old, and nine months pregnant. She had an abortion in 1999

after it was found her husband Mustak was HIV positive.

Last year, however, when she got pregnant again, she was unable to

have an abortion as the pregnancy was detected too late.

Rehana, however, got herself admitted to hospital immediately to

ensure she did not pass on the virus to her child. She said her

husband has been very supportive, and suspects it is because of his

sense of guilt. Rehana is expected to give birth anytime next week.

She is positive she will deliver a healthy baby.

Dr V A Hishikar said, " The biggest transmission risks are the

maternal viral load in the plasma, the cervicovaginal secretions and

in breast milk. We are doing everything we can to prevent the infant

from being infected. "

HIV in India

1986

First case of HIV detected in Chennai

1990

HIV level among high-risk groups (such as prostitutes and STD clinic

attendants) in Maharashtra and among injecting drug users in Manipur

crosses five per cent.

1994

HIV is no longer restricted to high risk groups in Maharashtra, but

spreads into the general population. It also spreads to Gujarat and

Tamil Nadu.

1998

Rapid HIV spread in the four large southern states.

1999

About 60 per cent of the prostitutes in some areas of Mumbai are

estimated to be infected. Infection rates among STD patients hit 30

per cent in Andhra Pradesh and between 14 to 60 per cent in

Maharashtra.

2001

Infection crosses one per cent in six states, which account for 75

per cent of the country's estimated HIV cases.

2003

About six lakh more people are infected, primarily in Karnataka,

Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh

and Rajasthan.

2005

India overtakes South Africa as country with the highest number of

HIV+ people, according to Feachem, executive director of the

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Source: Youandaids.org

HIV in Mumbai

800

The number of Mumbaikars who contract HIV every day

2.5

The percentage of Mumbai that is HIV+

46

The percentage of Mumbaikars who carry an active sexually

transmitted disease (the greatest risk factor for HIV spread)

Source: Globalchange.com

http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/may/109427.htm