
BALASORE: A migrant labourer, Suranjan Das’ story sounds familiar in this part of the State.
He had left home for Surat in search of work, but was forced to return following prolonged illness. He was then diagnosed with HIV and most such cases being reported in Balasore show the same trend.
“I was without work following the 2004 floods and took up a job with a private company in Surat. I had to return when my health deteriorated and was diagnosed with HIV+,” said a dejected Das.
According to official sources, the coastal district has reported 560 HIV+ cases in the last seven years. “Altogether 98 persons have died of AIDS in this period.
While 12 persons succumbed to the virus in 2008, there were 13 deaths in 2009. Till October, this year, 11 persons have died of AIDS,” said CDMO Braja Mohan Patra.
The CDMO said that among the deceased and infected patients, more than 90 per cent are migrant labourers and their family members. “Most of the cases are reported from Soro, Oupada, Baliapal, Jaleswar and Basta areas that record annual exodus of local residents to industrially developed urban localities,” said Patra.
Statistics reveals that while people primarily travel to Mumbai from Jaleswar block for betel business, unemployed youths from other blocks migrate to Surat and other metro cities for job purpose.
“The government has to take some specific steps to make migrant labourers and adolescent group aware of the vulnerability,” said Mrutyunjay Pattnaik, secretary of an NGO.
The 2001 census describes Orissa as a key migration source state with 9,37,148 inter-State migrants. However, informal estimate puts the number at 2.5 million of which the coastal region accounts for 45 per cent of the total migration.
Meanwhile, though Orissa AIDS Control Society (OSACS) claimed to have launched an ambitious project in several districts to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS among migrant workers, the project has been a non-starter in Balasore. “We have not been intimated about the project. No fund has been allocated for the purpose,” said district labour officer S K Choudhury.
Ganjam scores on awareness
BERHAMPUR: Ganjam district has secured second position in the country in HIV awareness through Red Ribbon Express.
The train was stationed in Ganjam district in May 2009 when over 25,000 persons, including 16,000 women, visited the Express.
Ganjam Collector V. Kartikeya Pandian has been invited by the Union Health Minister to Delhi to receive the citation. Ganjam was also adjudged best in the country for successfully implementing NREGS programme during the last two years