Berhampur: AIDS has been a major cause of concern for the Health department as well as the administration in Ganjam despite a plethora of preventive and awareness measures being undertaken.
The district has the highest number of HIV positive patients in the state, according to government records. World AIDS Day, designated December 1 every year since 1988, is dedicated to raising awareness about the disease.
What is shocking is that 48 children born to HIV positive parents have been struggling for life in the district. It was learnt that 960 expectant mothers were found to be HIV positive in the district between 2000 and 2021.
Till October this year, 24 pregnant women have tested positive for HIV, according to the district AIDS cell. Experts have ascribed migration of workers as one of the major reasons for the rise of HIV cases in this southern district.
Thousands of people migrate to other states in search of work every year. At their work places, they indulge in unsafe sex and contract the deadly virus. They return home infected.
In most cases, the infected persons are not aware of their HIV status for lack of awareness. They get married and start their conjugal life, but it unknowingly brings disaster for their spouses and unborn children. During pregnancy, babies too get infected with HIV.
Advanced treatment has been developed to save the unborn babies from contracting the virus from their mothers. For healthcare of HIV patients, ART facility is available at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.
Besides, various health centres have also been linked with the ART Centre of the MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) working under the Union Health Ministry has taken up a host of measures for prevention, control of HIV and treatment of the infected people, apart from taking up awareness campaigns.
Crores of rupees are being spent towards prevention and eradication of the deadly disease. Odisha Aids Control Society has made provision of free medicines for the HIV patients.
The Health department has also undertaken a host of measures to save children from contracting the virus from parents. As per reports, 7,63,223 pregnant women have been counselled regarding prevention of AIDS between 2000 and 2021 in the district.
Of them, 7,41,408 had given their blood samples for tests. Among them, 960 were found to be HIV positive. The healthcare authorities and the AIDS cell have increased the blood sample testing over years.
The number of the positive cases has come down, compared to previous years in the district. In case of pregnant women getting infected with the virus, they are administered medicines for six months.
If they take medicines regularly for six months, the chances of their babies getting infected with the virus will be less than five per cent after delivery.
The Health officials concerned usually advise women to go through HIV tests and take medicines according to their infection status to prevent passage of infection from mother to child.
According to reports, 13,95,314 people in the district have gone through HIV tests between 2000 and October, 2021. Of them, 16,921 have been found to be HIV positive. More than 500 HIV patients have been identified in 17 blocks of the district.
Polsara block has the highest number of people having tested HIV positive (1,254) till October, 2021.
Aska has 1,157 HIV positive cases; Beguniapada 1,143; Purusottampur 1,082; Khallikote 898; Hinjilicut 811; Kabisuryanagar 776; Belaguntha 724;Sheragada 680; Bhanjanagar 629; Rangeilunda 601; Buguda 575; Chhatrapur 561; Digapahandi 563; Dharakote 522; Sankhemundi 544 and Kukudakhandi 504.
PNN