No less than 89,979 HIV-positive cases were registered in Punjab till date, amongst about 24.1 lakh in India. Sharing the figures, the state Health and Family Welfare Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra on Thursday said that these patients were treated at 19 Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centers being run in the state for free treatment of HIV positives.
The information was shared by the Minister during the state-level event related to World AIDS Day organized by Punjab State AIDS Control Society, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab.
Jauramajra said that World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 with a special theme every year around the world, and this year's theme is ‘Equalize – Everyone has the right to live life with equality’.
“The HIV does not affect the general public until a person comes into contact with an infected person…HIV is not only a nuisance for patients who are affected by the disease, but it also adds to social and economic difficulties as well,” said the Minister.
He said that several activities regarding HIV awareness are being conducted in 6,057 government schools and 700 colleges in the State for the young generation between the age group of 14-24.
To ensure health and social security of HIV-affected people, the government is linking up with social security schemes run by various departments.
Jauramajra said that 1069 Integrated Counseling and Testing Centers (ICTC) are being operated in government hospitals and medical colleges in Punjab for free testing and counseling of patients. 19 Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) centers are being run in Punjab for free treatment of patients who have tested positive.
He added that an HIV-infected person can live a long life by taking medicines regularly. “64 targeted projects are being run in Punjab to protect high-risk people from HIV/AIDS. Along with this, there are 41 OSTs in Punjab to protect people who are drug addicts from HIV/AIDS. In these centers, injecting drug users are given medication daily under the supervision of health workers to prevent them from drug addiction,” he added.
Besides, there are 161 blood centers in Punjab that provide safe blood. In these centers, donated blood is tested for HIV along with other tests so that HIV cannot be transmitted through blood transfusions, he added.
Also, 31 STI/RTI Clinics (Protection Centers) are being run in the state. “As patients suffering from latent diseases are more likely to get HIV, that is why free medicines are being provided to patients in STI clinics,” he added.