SHILLONG: As many as 196 people have tested HIV positive and three persons have died of the dreaded disease in the State, Health Minister Dr Adviser Pariong has said. Addressing an World AIDS Day programme here on Monday, Dr Pariong said out of the 196 HIV positive people, 41 were undergoing treatment at Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) Centre, Shillong Civil Hospital while three ART patients had died.
The minister's comment was based on records of the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) which screened 22,013 people for the killer virus till October 2008.
Interestingly, sources said, "Meghalaya is still in a state of denial. The statistics provided by the government are hardly reliable. There are a whole lot of people who have tested HIV positive in private hospitals. Government and private hospitals hardly coordinate the figures about the disease."
Highlighting the various government steps to fight HIV/AIDS in the State, Dr Pariong said Meghalaya State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) had implemented the National AIDS Control Programme III (NACP III) since 2007.
The main objective of the programme is to check the epidemic throughout the country over the next five years through integrated programmes for prevention, care and support and treatment, he pointed out.
The minister said 11 rounds of Sentinel Surveillance had been conducted among various risk groups from 1998 to 2007 and based on that two groups -- high risk behaviour involving STDs and low risk behaviour among antenatal mothers - were being monitored.
The Sentinel Surveillance 2008, which started on November 1, is expected to be completed by January 31 next.
According to Dr Pariong, to facilitate treatment of STD diseases at the primary health care level, medical officers are being trained on 'Syndromic Management.'
STD clinics have been set up in the civil hospitals at Shillong, Tura and Jowai and also Ganesh Das Hospital, besides the CHCs at Nongpoh, Nongstoin, Williamnagar and Baghmara.
Moreover, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has approved a proposal for establishing blood banks at Williamnagar CHC and Jowai Civil Hospital. Red Ribbon Club, MSACS Radio, etc are other steps taken for spreading HIV/AIDS awareness among the youth and students.
Dr Pariong called upon all sections of the people to join the State-wide campaign under the slogan "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise" and not to discriminate against those infected by HIV.
People from various localities of the city participated in the candle light procession which was flagged off from Don Bosco Square at 4 pm. It culminated at Khyndai Lad.
The World AIDS Day programme, an advocacy meeting for youth leaders, was organised by MSACS at the Don Bosco Youth Centre.
Source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com/
The minister's comment was based on records of the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) which screened 22,013 people for the killer virus till October 2008.
Interestingly, sources said, "Meghalaya is still in a state of denial. The statistics provided by the government are hardly reliable. There are a whole lot of people who have tested HIV positive in private hospitals. Government and private hospitals hardly coordinate the figures about the disease."
Highlighting the various government steps to fight HIV/AIDS in the State, Dr Pariong said Meghalaya State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) had implemented the National AIDS Control Programme III (NACP III) since 2007.
The main objective of the programme is to check the epidemic throughout the country over the next five years through integrated programmes for prevention, care and support and treatment, he pointed out.
The minister said 11 rounds of Sentinel Surveillance had been conducted among various risk groups from 1998 to 2007 and based on that two groups -- high risk behaviour involving STDs and low risk behaviour among antenatal mothers - were being monitored.
The Sentinel Surveillance 2008, which started on November 1, is expected to be completed by January 31 next.
According to Dr Pariong, to facilitate treatment of STD diseases at the primary health care level, medical officers are being trained on 'Syndromic Management.'
STD clinics have been set up in the civil hospitals at Shillong, Tura and Jowai and also Ganesh Das Hospital, besides the CHCs at Nongpoh, Nongstoin, Williamnagar and Baghmara.
Moreover, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has approved a proposal for establishing blood banks at Williamnagar CHC and Jowai Civil Hospital. Red Ribbon Club, MSACS Radio, etc are other steps taken for spreading HIV/AIDS awareness among the youth and students.
Dr Pariong called upon all sections of the people to join the State-wide campaign under the slogan "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise" and not to discriminate against those infected by HIV.
People from various localities of the city participated in the candle light procession which was flagged off from Don Bosco Square at 4 pm. It culminated at Khyndai Lad.
The World AIDS Day programme, an advocacy meeting for youth leaders, was organised by MSACS at the Don Bosco Youth Centre.
Source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com/
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