AIDS spreading dangerously fast in Madhya Pradesh

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AIDS spreading dangerously fast in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal, Dec 1 : The extent of spread of the AIDS epidemic in Madhya

Pradesh can be judged from the fact that while there was only one

identified AIDS patient in 1988 in the state, the figure has now

risen to 2,780, according to state health data.

The Madhya Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (MPSACS) identified 359

AIDS patients in 2005, 350 in 2006, 516 in 2007 and 152 cases were

found in the first quarter of this year. The final figures of AIDS

patients found this year are yet to be computed.

There are approximately 11,500 HIV-positive people in the state,

according to an estimate of MPSACS.

The rise in number of AIDS patients in the state is attributed to low

awareness, cash crunch and an acute lack of infrastructure.

Take for instance the case of anti retroviral therapy (ART). Though

the state has 11,500 people affected with HIV, ART has been provided

to only 1,300 patients.

" Almost all the regions of the state have been affected by HIV and

now the dreaded disease has started gripping the rural areas, " says a

survey conducted by the health department here.

" While urbanisation, rapid industrialisation and changing mode of

lifestyle were factors contributing to high prevalence in urban

areas, traditional practice of prostitution by communities like

Bedia, Banchhda and Sansi have added to the woes in rural areas, " the

survey points out.

" Since 'tradition' in these communities demands that the eldest

daughter of the family has to go into prostitution to look after the

family until her marriage, they work under tremendous pressure, " said

Rajiv Lochan, head of Shuruat, a voluntary organization which had

toured the state to spread AIDS awareness.

Having little or no knowledge of AIDS or its prevention or even what

venereal diseases are, these communities spread over 24 districts of

the state mainly operate in semi-urban areas which are mostly close

to highways.

Figures compiled by MPSACS show that 91.7 percent of the patients in

Madhya Pradesh acquire the virus through sexual transmission, two

percent through blood transfusion, 1.8 percent through prenatal

transmission, two percent through infected injections and 2.5 percent

due to unknown reasons.

" Of these, the disease is more prevalent in males accounting for 72

percent of the total cases but is percolating to females due to their

high vulnerability, " an MPSACS official said.

District-wise, the state's commercial capital Indore takes the lead

with 564 AIDS cases, while the temple town Ujjain is next with 351

patients.

NGOs working in Indore, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Rewa, Bhopal, Gwalior,

Sagar, Hoshangabad and Morena claim the number of AIDS patients in

these districts is far higher than the official figures.

Separate surveys across the state conducted by NGOs found a high

prevalence of the disease among rag-pickers, children working in

dhabas (roadside eateries) between the ages of five and 18, and truck

drivers.

Various surveys have pointed out that people between the age of 31

and 40 constitute the largest segment of AIDS patients. Those in the

21-30 age group are also at high risk.

MPSACS is now planning to educate all public representatives about

the disease.

" We have prepared an action plan as part of which all legislators,

members of district Panchayats and Janpad Panchayats will be

sensitised to further the cause of AIDS awareness, " MPSACS project

Director Saleena Singh said. - IANS

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