BANGALORE: The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS), a government organisation, has been boasting about a decrease in the prevalence rate of HIV in the state, but the fact is quite contradictory to its claims.
The Karnataka Network of People living with HIV/AIDS (KNP+) and some other organisations working with people living with HIV across the state say people are discontinuing treatment for lack of counselling.
According to figures registered with KNP+, in 200910 (till September), there were a total of 5,147 dropouts (who have dropped from antiretroviral treatment) from across the state. "There has been an increase in the number of defaulters," said Tyagraj, secretary of KNP+. "Of the 5,147, our volunteers brought back a total of 2909 to the (antiretroviral treatment) ART centres and continued with the medication."
He said 857 of them had provided wrong address at the ART centres and so could not traced.
He said though the number of ART centres have increased to 41 across 28 districts, there is lack of peer counsellors at all the ART centres.
"KSAPS has appointed professional counsellors, but they seem to be harsh and are not cooperative," he said.
Even death rate among people living with HIV seems to be on the rise. According to the figures obtained from KNP+, there were 916 deaths in 200910 as against 714 in 200809.
"Starting from April 2010 till September, there were 690 deaths. The number seems to be escalating," said Tyagraj. "Further the Access to Care and Treatment Project (which documents the good practices followed at districtlevel networks and treatment counselling centres) has been closed since March 31, 2010, so the possibility of check among the defaulters would be on rise."
Vijay Kumar, a member of Sadhana, an NGO working for PLHIV and a HIV positive himself, said people living with HIV are not treated well. "We have protested several times but our voices have gone unheard," he said.
Project Director of KSAPS R R Jannu maintained that the number of deaths in the state has come down. "There are dropout cases and we are providing counselling at the ART centres," he said.