On the occasion of the district level celebration of the World Aids Day on Monday, Sundargarh CDMO Dr Basant Panda revealed that in last 12 years, at least 109 people died in the district of AIDS out 545 HIV positive cases.
Expressing his concern over the rapid growth of AIDS patients in the district, Dr Panda said between January 2003 and October 2014, the blood samples of 1,44,871 people were tested and 545 were found HIV positive. In 2003, 378 persons’ blood samples were tested and 11 were found positive and in the same year five had died. In 2004 out of 682 sample tests, 13 were found positive and five died. In 2005 out of 1,253 sample tests, 16 were found positive and six died. In 2006 out of 3,322 sample tests, 32 were found positive and eight of them died. In 2007 out of 9,247 sample tests, 43 were found positive and 10 died. In 2008 out of 9,146 sample tests, 43 were found HIV positive and 13 died. In 2009 out of 12,042 sample tests, 56 were found to be positive and 14 died. In 2010 out of 12,178 sample tests, 49 were found positive and 10 died. In 2011, out of 19,983 sample tests, 71were found positive and 3 died. In 2012 out of 25,377 sample tests, 61 were found positive and 13 died. In 2013 out of 27,383 sample tests, 78 were found positive and 13 died. In 2014 out of 23,870 sample tests, 60 were found positive and nine died so far. According to reports in 2009, maximum 14 patients died, the CDMO informed.
Dr Panda further said out of 545 HIV positive patients 401 were registered in ART (Anti Retroviral Therapy) centres and 276 were under treatment. Besides he said a total of seven ICTC (Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre) centres are the district, including two each in district headquarters hospital and Rourkela Government Hospital and one each in Rajgangpur, Biramitrapur and Bonai hospitals.