The prevalence of HIV in Chandigarh has dropped to 0.21 per cent this year. The Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) Centre at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here has 3,239 patients alive and on ART which includes 364 (11.23 percent) patients from Chandigarh.
The latest statistics with Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society (SACS) reveals that the new case detection of HIV has declined in the city. In the year 2009, 22,253 general clients were tested and 1099 (5 percent) were positive. In the year 2012, 40652 cases were tested and 877 (2 percent) were found positive.
Also, the new case detection among pregnant women has declined in the city. In the year 2009, 20160 pregnant women were tested and 68 (0.33 percent) were detected positive. In the year 2012, 22147 pregnant women were tested and only 47 (0.21 percent) were found positive. All HIV positive pregnant women are treated in the ART Centre and the pregnancy is managed so that transmission of HIV from mother to child is minimized. After delivery, the infant is offered replacement milk to further ensure absolute stoppage of the HIV transmission.
Since 2011, 129 HIV positive pregnant women have delivered and only 2 babies have tested positive in Chandigarh, reveals the data.
The data stated that Chandigarh is a low prevalent area and the prevalence declined steadily to 0.21 percent this year against the national prevalence of 0.36 per cent. The prevalence of HIV in Chandigarh was 0.23 per cent in 2012. However, Chandigarh is vulnerable to spread of HIV as the infection is present in one of the high risk groups of intravenous drug users.
According to the HIV Sentinel Surveillance, the HIV prevalence has declined amongst female sex workers from 0.67 per cent in 2006 to 0 percent in 2011, amongst men having sex with Men (MSM) from 4.80 per cent in 2006 to 0.40 percent in 2011 and amongst intravenous drug users from 17.60 per cent in 2006 to 7.20 per cent in 2011.
The voluntary blood donation has been increasing steadily over the years and is now 88 percent against 83 percent in 2009. This has ensured that safe blood is available to the community. The HIV positivity amongst blood donors is very low at 0.07 percent which indicates that the voluntary blood donors from the community do not have the infection and are safe donors. The blood donation camps have been increasing over the years and the blood collection in Chandigarh reaches to about 71,000 units annually and is sufficient for the city, stated the Chandigarh SACS data.
The prevalence of sexually transmitted Infection in Chandigarh as per record of the free STI clinics (Suraksha Clinics) also indicates a declined in the infection. In 2006, 7521 patients had attended the STI clinics. In 2012, the number of clinics has increased and 6040 cases reported with complaints. UT Home-cum-Health Secretary Anil Kumar informed that to check the HIV prevalence in Chandigarh, more cases are being tested, but fewer cases are found positive.
He said that the third conference AIDSCON-3 towards AIDS free Chandigarh will be held on November 29 and 30 in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32. “With an aim to get together and consolidate the extensive research and evaluations on HIV/AIDS being done by various academic and public functionaries, Chandigarh SACS organize AIDSCON, a two days conference ever year. This would be the third edition of AIDSCON,” he added.
The AIDS Control Programme was established in 1992 in Chandigarh and the first case detected from the local population was in 1992. According to Census 2011, Chandigarh has a total population of 10,55,450 people.