Increasing number of pregnant women affected with HIV positive has become a big concern for the authorities in Ganjam district, which tops the State with the highest number of HIV/AIDS incidences.
Sources at the district AIDS Cell said a total of 887 pregnant women have been tested HIV positive so far in Ganjam.
By October-end this year, the district has registered a total of 16,011 HIV/AIDS cases in general. Migrant labourers of the district are considered a vulnerable population for HIV infection.
Thousands of labourers from the district migrate to other States in search of jobs. They get infected with HIV, following which the virus is transmitted to their spouses. This increases risk of babies getting HIV in the womb.
The Government has set up Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) centres at its hospitals in Brahmapur, Bhanjanagar, Aska, Polsara and Khallikote for HIV treatment. Besides, several programmes have been undertaken by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). There is also a free medicine system by the State AIDS Prevention and Control Societies (SACS) for the HIV patients.
But despite all these initiatives, many pregnant have been reported to be HIV positive in the district.