AIDS spreading dangerously fast in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal, Dec 1 : The extent of spread of the AIDS epidemic in Madhya
Pradesh can be judged from the fact that while there was only one
identified AIDS patient in 1988 in the state, the figure has now
risen to 2,780, according to state health data.

The Madhya Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (MPSACS) identified 359
AIDS patients in 2005, 350 in 2006, 516 in 2007 and 152 cases were
found in the first quarter of this year. The final figures of AIDS
patients found this year are yet to be computed.

There are approximately 11,500 HIV-positive people in the state,
according to an estimate of MPSACS.

The rise in number of AIDS patients in the state is attributed to low
awareness, cash crunch and an acute lack of infrastructure.

Take for instance the case of anti retroviral therapy (ART). Though
the state has 11,500 people affected with HIV, ART has been provided
to only 1,300 patients.

"Almost all the regions of the state have been affected by HIV and
now the dreaded disease has started gripping the rural areas," says a
survey conducted by the health department here.

"While urbanisation, rapid industrialisation and changing mode of
lifestyle were factors contributing to high prevalence in urban
areas, traditional practice of prostitution by communities like
Bedia, Banchhda and Sansi have added to the woes in rural areas," the
survey points out.

"Since 'tradition' in these communities demands that the eldest
daughter of the family has to go into prostitution to look after the
family until her marriage, they work under tremendous pressure," said
Rajiv Lochan, head of Shuruat, a voluntary organization which had
toured the state to spread AIDS awareness.

Having little or no knowledge of AIDS or its prevention or even what
venereal diseases are, these communities spread over 24 districts of
the state mainly operate in semi-urban areas which are mostly close
to highways.

Figures compiled by MPSACS show that 91.7 percent of the patients in
Madhya Pradesh acquire the virus through sexual transmission, two
percent through blood transfusion, 1.8 percent through prenatal
transmission, two percent through infected injections and 2.5 percent
due to unknown reasons.

"Of these, the disease is more prevalent in males accounting for 72
percent of the total cases but is percolating to females due to their
high vulnerability," an MPSACS official said.

District-wise, the state's commercial capital Indore takes the lead
with 564 AIDS cases, while the temple town Ujjain is next with 351
patients.

NGOs working in Indore, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Rewa, Bhopal, Gwalior,
Sagar, Hoshangabad and Morena claim the number of AIDS patients in
these districts is far higher than the official figures.

Separate surveys across the state conducted by NGOs found a high
prevalence of the disease among rag-pickers, children working in
dhabas (roadside eateries) between the ages of five and 18, and truck
drivers.

Various surveys have pointed out that people between the age of 31
and 40 constitute the largest segment of AIDS patients. Those in the
21-30 age group are also at high risk.

MPSACS is now planning to educate all public representatives about
the disease.

"We have prepared an action plan as part of which all legislators,
members of district Panchayats and Janpad Panchayats will be
sensitised to further the cause of AIDS awareness," MPSACS project
Director Saleena Singh said. - IANS

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