Punjab has highest number of drug users HIV infected

[Guest guest]

CHANDIGARH: World AIDS Day is being observed throughout the state of Punjab on

1st December 2010. Necessary instructions have been issued to all Civil Surgeons

in the State to observe the day at the District level.

Disclosing this here today Health and Family Welfare Minister Punjab Prof.

Lakshmi Kanta Chawla said that the Punjab State AIDS Control Society has

released grant to all the districts of Punjab withthe instructions to observe

this day in order to disseminate the theme of World AIDS Day so that new

infection in the State of Punjab could be stopped and care and support could be

provided to the people living with HIV/AIDS without any discrimination.

The theme for World AIDS Day ‘10 is 'Universal Access and Human Rights-Light

the Rights'. Global leaders have pledged to work towards Universal access to HIV

and AIDS treatment, prevention and care, recognizing these as fundamental human

rights. This theme is to emphasis that access for all to HIV prevention,

treatment, care and support is a critical part of human rights.

It is now more than 29 years since AIDS was first detected. At that time, in

1981, no one could have anticipated that this infection would become a global

problem of extra ordinary scope and unprecedentedramifications. Even till a

decade ago, HIV and AIDS was regarded primarily as a serious health issue.

Today, it is clear that AIDS has become a developmental disaster and evidence

suggests that the trend,if not reversed, will erode the development gains

achieved so far.

As per global estimates, a total of 33.3 million people are living with HIV;

nearly half of them are women. In 2009, around 2.6 million new HIV cases were

detected globally out of which 50% cases are of people from 15-24 years of age

group. More than 1.8 million people died of AIDS related illness in 2009.

As per the HIV estimations 2010, India is estimated to have 23.9 lakh people

infected with HIV in 2009 at an estimated adult prevalence of 0.31%. Adult HIV

prevalence among men is 0.36%, while among women, it is 0.25%.  HIV/AIDS

continues to be one of India’s most complex epidemics- a challenge that goes

beyond public health, raising fundamental issues of human rights and is

threatening developmentalachievements in many areas. The epidemic is unfolding

rapidly, with heterosexual transmission playing the predominant role.

HIV infection is no longer confined to high risk group population in India but

isspreading from population with high risk group to the general population, and

is also moving from urban to rural areas. The need to prevent further spread of

the epidemic and also to provide care and support for those infected or

affected by HIV/AIDS calls for a joint effort from all sections of the society.

Punjab is estimated to have 60,836 people infected with HIV in 2009 at an

estimated adult prevalence of 0.32%. Adult HIV prevalence among men is 0.37%,

while among women, it is 0.26%. The increase in HIV estimates of Punjab is

primarily due to increased HIV prevalence among Injectable Drug Users (IDUs). As

per the mapping estimates (2009), there are around 23,000 IDUs in the state with

HIV prevalence of 26.1% (HSS 2008) whereas the national prevalence among IDU is

9%.

At present, Punjab State AIDS Control Society (PSACS) is reaching out to the

IDUs with HIV prevention services through twenty five Targeted Intervention

projects in 18 districts of Punjab. Recently PSACS has started five Opioid

Substitution Therapy Centers in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Batala, Jalandhar and

Ludhiana as part of the harm reduction services.

The services will be expanded in time to come in other districts as per the

program requirement. Efforts are being made to reach out to the IDU population

with therequisite HIV prevention and treatment services so that new infection

among the population could be prevented.

A crusade against drug dependence has been initiated under the dynamic

leadership of Prof. Luxmi Kanta Chawla, Hon’ble Health & Family Welfare

Minister, Punjab. Red Ribbon Express project launched by NACO helped in

generating awareness on HIV/STI and general health issues among the general

masses. The train was in Punjab from 20th October to 24th November covering 8

districts and 9 railway stations.

For early diagnosis of HIV cases, PSACS has established 152 Integrated

Counseling and Testing Centers across the state which includes 71 stand alone

facility, 2 under Public Private Partnership, 65 CHC/PHCand 15 mobile medical

units.

There are 6 Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) Centers is the state to provide free

treatment for people living with HIV /AIDS.

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