onstant increase in the HIV positive cases in this district has set the alarm bells ringing for the health authorities and others concerned. The number of HIV positive cases reported in the district reached 62 last year. In 1998, there were a total of 39 HIV positive cases in the district. Out of which eight were donors and 31 were patients. Cases reported by blood banks to the Civil Surgeon or the other authorities are called donors.
In 1999, the number of HIV positive cases increased to 57. The donors were 19 and the patients 38. Out of the 38 patients, two patients reportedly died in the same year. But the number jumped to 62 last year. Out of these 62, 43 were patients and 19 donors.
Punjab is the fifth most HIV prone state in India with Ludhiana leading in the state. These cases were reported by various hospitals in the city, including the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Christian Medical College, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Oswal Cancer Hospital and Pahwa Hospital. One of the medical officer at Civil Surgeon’s office said not even a single AIDS case had been reported from private nursing homes. The official alleged that some of these nursing homes and laboratories did not have even proper blood bank facilities.
The official said that HIV positive means not only alienation from society but also living constantly in the shadow of death. “Most of the doctors of private nursing homes do not ‘get into trouble’ by disclosing their patient’s identity”, added the official.
Dr Gursharan Singh, President of the local unit of Indian Medical Association while talking to this correspondent said,”the spread of HIV is changing the entire dynamics of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD). Not only the STD cases are becoming typical, they are also becoming aggressive. “
One of the doctors of a private nursing homes said that there may be no symptom of AIDS for two to 20 years. After a person is infected nothing happens for about three weeks. Between three to six months, the infected person might suffer from flu like disease like fever, cough and chills which automatically disappear, added the doctor.
There are three ways in which HIV spreads. These are the sexual relationship, transfusion of infected blood and its products and infected pregnant mothers.
Among the occupational groups, the maximum HIV positive cases have been found among truck drivers. Migrant labourers and domestic servants are also vulnerable to this virus.
— Shivani Bhakoo
