BALASORE: The number of AIDS cases is on the rise in this coastal district. Notwithstanding the awareness campaigns, their number has gone up to 122 this year from 19 in 2003.Official sources said 124 people have died of AIDS in the district in the last eight years. While 693 persons, including 24 pregnant women, have been tested HIV positive out of 55,407 blood samples tested in the same period, Soro block tops the list with 114 positive cases followed by 91 in Khaira block. What has pushed the panic button is that the number of positive cases is alarmingly on the rise even as the government claims to have implemented various measures to make people aware of HIV/AIDS.Reports from the Voluntary Confidential Counselling and Testing Centre (VCCTC) reveal that in 2008, of the 5,851 blood samples tested, 62 cases were found positive, 136 in 2009 of 13,161 samples, 138 in 2010 of 11,881 samples and 122 this year (till October) out of 16,372 samples.Reports indicate 70 per cent of the transmission was through multiple sexual relations. To worsen the situation, there is lack of adequate medical care, treatment facilities and socio-economic support from families and the community at large.Statistics indicated that over 90 per cent of the affected were those who had migrated for job and their family members. Most of the cases are reported from Soro, Oupada, Baliapal and Basta areas. Activists said Balasore is prone to AIDS as it is nearer to West Bengal. CDMO S Iqballudin Ahmed said several projects were being implemented to spread awareness among the labourers and an ART centre has been opened at Balasore for treatment of HIV patients. “Government is taking every possible step to minimise the infection,” he added.
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