The number of HIV/AIDS patients is on a steady increase in Sundargarh district. As many as 682 persons were identified positive from 2003 to 2016. 112 died of AIDS during the 14 years.
According to sources, from 2003 to 2016, out of 682 HIV/AIDS affected persons, 411 were male, 233 were women, 30 pregnant women and eight were hijra/eunuch. About 112 persons died in Sundargarh district out of these 682 affected persons during these 14 years.
The persons who were being treated in Antiretroviral Treatment Centre(ARTC) at Rourkela Government Hospital, 82 died of AIDS who had been registered in ART and 30 persons died of AIDS without registration . There are eight Integrated Counseling and Testing Centres (ICTC) in Sundargarh. There are two each the ICTC in Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital at Sundargarh and Rourkela Government Hospital at Rourkela and one each ICTC in Rajgangpur, Banei, Kutra and Birmitrapur Community Health Centres.
Blood sample test of as many as 2,02,783 persons were conducted from 2003 to 2016 but 682 persons were found HIV positive. During the year 2003, 11 persons were diagonosed HIV positive, in 2004, 13 , in 2005, 16, in 2006 , 32 , in 2007, 43, in 2008, 55, in 2009, 56, in 2010, 50, in 2011,
59, in 2012, 63, in 2013, 73, in 2014, 69, in 2015, 57 and in 2016, 85 persons were found HIV positive. Out of 682 affected persons with HIV, 614 were registered with ART and were regularly taking medicines but rest 68 persons had not been registered.
According to sources, these 68 persons are residents of Jharsuguda and its nearby areas. Significantly, the ART Centre at the RGH is the only treatment centre in Sundargarh district for HIV affected persons, where treatment and medicines are provided free of cost.