BERHAMPUR: Ganjam district once had the highest number of HIV positive patients in the State. However, the district has witnessed a steady decline in number of HIV positive cases. But the the scenario is still alarming.
As per official records, there are 49,661 AIDS patients in the State of which 16,011 are in Ganjam. Similarly out of the 2,729 HIV positive pregnant women in the State, 887 are from the district. Sources said that several steps have been taken to prevent the spread of the disease in the district.
An HIV identification programme was started in the district in 2000 and since then, 16,011 AIDS patients have been identified. Only 1.38 per cent of 11,52,263 blood samples were tested HIV positive in the district, sources said.
This year, 1,17,529 samples were tested of which 505 were found positive. Out of 1,26,239 samples collected in 2018, about 672 were found positive. Similarly, 659 of 1,34,016 blood samples were tested positive in 2017.
Polasara block has 1,348 AIDS patients followed by 1,215 in Aska, 1,112 in Beguniapada, 315 in Patrapur, 285 in Chikiti, 281 in Ganjam and 216 in Jagannathprasad. As many as 12,195 AIDS patients are being given pension of Rs 500 per month under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana in the district. Meanwhile, rallies, padyatras, seminars and signature campaigns to create awareness on AIDS were held in various places across the district on Sunday.
In Berhampur, while medical and nursing students of MKCG Medical College and Hospital took out a rally to create awareness on the disease, similar programmes were organised by Ganjam District Legal Service Authority and different social organisations.An awareness vehicle was flagged off by Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange on the day.
AIDS scenario