Keonjhar: AIDS awareness and prevention drives and the treatment provided to HIV+ people seem to have been ineffective in mineral-rich, tribal populated Keonjhar district. Crores of rupees have been spent for checking AIDS, but the disease is still on the rampage here.
The HIV is spreading in certain pockets here. Official sources said that 567 people have tested HIV+ between 2006 and 2008. Of them, 325 are males and 242 females. 35 pregnant women were also found to be HIV+.
During this period, 82 died of AIDS. About 479 HIV-infected patients are receiving ART in the district.
Blood samples of 16,851 people were screened till October 2018 and 57 found to be HIV+. In 2017, 58 people were found to be HIV+ while the figure was 64 in 2016.
The district has only five ICTC centres, apart from a special clinic at the District Headquarters Hospital.
HIV+ people are entitled to facilities like government housing, monthly pension, free medicines and travel allowance, but there are widespread allegations that in most cases HIV infected people are unable to get them.
Fear of social ostracism haunts HIV+ people, and they do not come forward to receive what is being given to them. Many people refuse to reveal their infection status, and HIV infected children are leading a miserable life.
What is shocking is that many AIDS patients are unaware of their rightful entitlements and the facilities provided to them. Social activists said that HIV infected people are not made aware of their rights properly.
PNN
