Baripada: Although crores of rupees are being spent on raising awareness about AIDS and its prevention and in treating victims, the disease has not been curbed in tribal Mayurbhanj district. Sadly the number of AIDS patients is increasing.
Reports said that 1,041 people were found to be HIV positive in the district between 2006 and 2019. Of them, 249 have died, ICTC sources said.
Of the HIV-infected, 560 are males and 394 are females. Among children 49 are boys and 38 girls. Rairangpur has reported the highest number of HIV positive cases with 124, followed by Baripada with 111 and Bisoi with 102.
The ICTC has so far screened the blood samples of 1,98,211 people in the district. The ICTC detected HIV in 91 people in tests conducted till October 2018. Of them, 18 have died.
The FICTC facility to detect HIV has been operating in 23 CHCs in the district. There are 10 standard ICTCs operating in Baripada, Betanoti, Badasahi, Udala, Bisoi, Rairangpur, Jashipur, Karnajia and Thakurmunda.
ART centres are meant for providing medication to HIV-infected people. The district has no ART centre and people from Mayurbhanj have to go to the ART centre in Balasore.
The government has been providing medicines and testing kits free of cost to HIV positive people.
Experts said that even though Baripada has a medical college, the government has not provided ART facility for HIV positive people there.
CDMO Dr Purabi Mohanty said there are only 15 ART centres in the state. “People have to depend on Balasore ART centre. The government will be intimated about the need for an ART centre in the district,” the CDMO added.
PNN