Odisha govt targets zero new HIV infection by 2030

Bhubaneswar/Berhampur: The Odisha government has been taking all measures to create awareness about AIDS and has set a goal to ensure no new cases of HIV infection by 2030.

Odisha has recorded around 50,000 active AIDS cases so far, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said, while speaking on the occasion of World AIDS Day on Sunday. “The State is witnessing a steady decline in the number of AIDS patients. The government aims at achieving zero new infection by 2030,” he said.

Noting that AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) cases were detected in all the 30 districts of the State, the minister said Ganjam accounts for the highest number of infections at 19,155 while Sonepur reports the lowest at 146.

Stating that the Health department has intensified efforts to ensure that “no new HIV cases emerge by 2030”, the minister said the government is implementing preventive measures and raising awareness to achieve the goal. AIDS is the late stage of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is badly damaged because of the virus.

He said the State government would appoint 250 radiographers in government hospitals as part of its efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure. They are expected to bring significant improvements in diagnostic services, he said. The HIV infection was first detected in the migrant-prone Ganjam district with annually over 1,000 people tested positive for the virus. The rate of the positivity of HIV infection in the district, however, has been declining for the last five years.

But Ganjam still has the highest number of cases in the State, said Chief District Medical Officer Bijay Kumar Panda.

“Since young people are a vulnerable group for the infection, we are focusing on them by visiting colleges and disseminating messages through social media platforms,” he said. The Red Ribbon Clubs have been established in 82 government and private colleges in Ganjam to create awareness among the youth, said Hemant Dash, project coordinator, Ganjam district AIDS control unit.