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| AIDS scenario in Jammu and Kashmir: Worries and concerns | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, NOV 28
• Six people die due to HIV AIDS globally every minute
• India adds one person every minute to the number of HIV patients
• 42 million people affected globally with AIDS, 25 lakh people infected in India
• 8000 deaths occur globally due to this killer disease
• 12 newborn babies getting affected with HIV virus every minute"
Though Jammu and Kashmir is a low prevalence state with regard to HIV AIDS disease, yet the large concentration of truckers in this mountainous state, the heavy concentration of security forces, the tourist inflow to the state are few of the biggest worries before the AIDS control programme planners in Jammu and Kashmir.
Informing this at an extension lecture on "AIDS scenario in Jammu and Kashmir: Worries and Concerns" organized by the Centre for Adult, Continuing Education & Extension (CACE&E), University of Jammu at the CACE & E Seminar hall here today, Dr. M. A. Wani, Project Director, J&K State AIDS Control Society, Jammu and Kashmir, said that the truckers, security forces, tourists (both religious tourists and other domestic tourists) were coming to Jammu and Kashmir from high prevalence states like Karnataka, Maharastra, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Bihar etc thus becoming a potential threat for spread of AIDS in this state.
"Tourism, business, modernization and HIV AIDS are directed linked and thus the threat is increased manifold," said Dr Wani who for the past seven years is working as Project Director, J&K State AIDS control Society.
Dr. Wani, who did his post graduation in hospital management from Leeds University, United Kingdom and is also a recipient of World Health Organization Fellowship in hospital health services Management from University of Connecticut and Illinois, USA, said that HIV AIDS is most dangerous public health problem. Many countries in the world have simply been wiped out due to this killer disease.
"This disease was detected only in 1981 and it is unbelievable to see that it has spread like an epidemic in various countries. In just 27 years, 42 million people have got affected with this disease. In India, the first AIDS case was detected in Chennai in 1986 and in these 25 years only, 25 lakh people have got infected with HIV AIDS disease," informed Dr Wani who has 27 years of experience in hospital administration.
Giving startling figures, he said, 12 new born babies are getting affected with HIV virus every minute, six people die with this disease globally every minute and India adds one person every minute to the number of HIV patients.
"Regarding Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Wani said J&K is a low prevalence state and the epidemic here is static and totally under control. The percentage in both higher level risk groups and lower level risk groups in J&K has dropped.
"However, we still keep on adding numbers to the AIDS patients. But this is a very successful parameter of AIDS control programme as it shows that more and more people are coming forward to get treated by this disease," he said adding people are now voluntarily coming to get the disease detected.
"Over 34,000 people came to our AIDS testing centres for getting themselves tested for the disease which shows that they are keen to get themselves tested. This is also, surely one of the successful parameters of AIDS Control programme," he said.
Asserting that J&K is a religious society and in a way it is mini India as all the religions are represented here, he said if we have to control AIDS, we need to follow moral road map which needs to be given to each child.
Informing that India is the second world in the world after Uganda which has come out with published religious booklets with regard to AIDS, Dr. Wani elaborated that in J&K, they involved religious leaders including 840 Imams of Mosques and Granthis of Gurudwaras for spreading moral education and AIDS awareness. This, he said, was a very successful initiative.
Earlier, while welcoming the key speaker and the guests, Professor Poonam Dhawan, Director, Centre for Adult, Continuing Education & Extension (CACE&E), University of Jammu, said that J&K AIDS control Society is doing a tremendous work under the dynamic leadership Dr. Wani. She also recalled CACE & E's association with him on various HIV related themes. Dr Kavita Suri, Assistant Director, Centre for Adult, Continuing Education & Extension (CACE&E), University of Jammu, conducted the programme while Mr. Sandeep Singh Sandy Project Officer presented vote of thanks.
Among those who were present at the occasion include Professor Jasbir Singh, NSS Coordinator, Jammu, Dr.Arti Bakshi, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Jammu University, Dr Manju Gupta,Chief Medical Officer, Medical Centre, Jammu University. |
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