Alarming rise in AIDS cases in Delhi

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Alarming rise in AIDS cases in Delhi

2Sep, 2007, 1019 hrs IST, IANS

NEW DELHI: India may have reduced its HIV/AIDS-affected population at

the national level by over 50 per cent according to the revised

estimates, but the incidence of the disease in the capital has risen

dramatically from 498 cases in 2000 to 5,082 in 2007, says an

official report.

According to a central health ministry report, Delhi reported 743 new

AIDS cases between January and June 2007 while 97 people succumbed to

the disease during the same period.

The ministry said there had been only 64 AIDS patients in 1994, but

now the figure has crossed 5,000.

" There could be two reasons behind the increasing number of AIDS

cases in Delhi - first the increasing number of floating population

and second the initiation of the anti-retroviral treatment (ART)

programme, " said a ministry official.

" In the last three years the situation has become alarming. While the

number of AIDS patients was just 949 in 2004, it jumped to 2,414 by

December 2005, " said a ministry official.

" 2006 was the worst year in Delhi, with the city reporting 1,925

cases last year. At least 80 people also died of AIDS last year which

is almost double the number of deaths in 2005, " the official told

media.

The report revealed that since 1993 Delhi has recorded 460 deaths

from the disease.

Currently, India is home to over 2.5 million HIV/AIDS patients,

according to new estimates published jointly by the World Health

Organisation (WHO), UNAIDS and the National AIDS Control Society

(NACO).

The earlier estimate was 5.2 million.

Mahesh Ganesan, a doctor working with the non-profit AIDS Healthcare

Foundation (AHF), said: " Apart from the migrating population and free

treatment, what is more important is the vulnerability factor.

" It's a myth that a large population in Delhi is aware of AIDS.

Industrial workers and youth remain the main vulnerable sections.

Higher prevalence of pre-marital sex - sometimes in adolescence -

also contribute to the numbers, " he added.

" Seen in a nationwide perspective, Delhi is not a high prevalence

state. Yet it is in a transition phase. People, government and

voluntary health workers, therefore, must be cautious to check this

growth. "

Health ministry officials said the recently launched National AIDS

Control Programme-III has set a target of halting and reversing the

spread of the disease over the next five years.

" So far as Delhi is concerned, our state AIDS Control Society has

drawn up a major mission to create awareness, " said an official in

the state health ministry.

" Railway stations, the Metro, bus terminals and major shopping areas

are the focus points. And the medium includes FM radio, the usual

print advertisements, posters and banners by the thousands and

hundreds of hoardings and panels. "

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