Fight Against HIV/AIDS Pandemic
2007 -- A year of new twist:
Imphal, Jan 3: The calendar year 2007 ended and issues relating to HIV and AIDS surfaced every now and then throughout the year, touching the consciousness of the people.
Going by the figures, this year there were 2528 new HIV positive cases reported and 177 AIDS cases and 21 deaths. This is based on the epidemiological analysis report published monthly by Manipur State AIDS Control Society.
Though the report is to be published monthly, the latest report published by MSACS for the year 2007 is till the month of October.
From September 1986 to January 2007 out of 1,86,095 blood samples screened, altogether 25,433 positive samples were found. The rest are males with only 5,892 female blood samples. Out of this, 3,977 people developed AIDS and 578 died.
In the September 1986 to October 2007 report, out of 2,21,119 blood samples screened, the number of positive samples were 27,961 with the number of female rising to 7,106 and AIDS cases reaching 4,154. There were 21 new death cases reported with the figure rising to 599.
If one is to go by the report given by MSACS, during January to October 2007, the increased in number of blood samples screened is 35024 out of which 2528 new positive samples were detected. In the October report it was stated that out of 4,154 AIDS cases, 3053 are males and 1101 are females and out of 599 deaths due to AIDS, 485 are males and 114 are females
The district-wise distribution of HIV positive cases as per January epi report placed Imphal at the top with 11064 positive cases followed by Thoubal with 1823 positive cases. Ukhrul comes at third place with 1274 and the fourth is Churachandpur with 1518 positive cases.
Bishnupur is at fifth with 1153 positives, Chandel at sixth with 858 cases, Senapati is at seventh with 852 positives and Tamenglong came last with 83 positive cases reported. There are another 360 cases which are categorized as unknown district.
As per October epi report, the number of positive cases in Imphal increased to 12620, Thoubal has 2139 positive cases, Churachandpur reported 1815 cases, Ukhrul have 1580, Bishnupur have 1291 positives, Senapati have more reported cases than Chandel with 1081 followed by Chandel with 1067. Tamenglong have 100 reported positive cases.
Apart from the figures, the new twist to HIV/AIDS pandemic in Manipur came in the form of hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection with HIV, which is considered as the new threat since HCV treatment is costly and beyond the affordability of many people in a poor state like Manipur.
Since the National AIDS Control Organisation started the free Anti-Retro Viral roll out in the state, many HIV positive people found a new lease of hope. For most of this time HIV was the most important health issue and HCV was just in the background.
Now, HIV treatments have kept people alive long enough to develop complications from HCV, and dealing with hepatitis C is now the most important health concern, feel many of the experts.
With HCV co-infection posing a new threat, the lifesaving ART drugs is now causing alarm among the people living with HIV. As confirmed by many in the medical fraternity, some of the ARV drugs lead to liver toxicity/damage as side effect.
Till date, the only study done on HIV and HCV co-infection in Manipur was in 2000-01 by ICMR where 98% co-infection was reported in Churachandpur district alone. It has been expressed repeatedly by the activists as well as PLHIV to include prevention of HCV in the harm reduction programmes and state AIDS policy.
On the positive side, last year saw the materialization of the political commitment in the form of the formation of the Manipur Legislative Forum on HIV/AIDS and the calling of the special Assembly on HIV/AIDS.
However, even after more than twenty years had gone by since the pandemic began in Manipur, the children living with HIV are still deprived of trained children counsellor.
Care and support for children is still equated to nutrition and education. The psychosocial aspect of HIV is yet to be addressed, especially for the children.
The time has come to sharpen the policies and programmes on HIV to include issues pertaining to co-infection and children. Moreover MSACS, the apex body on HIV/AIDS in the state, need to come up with up-to-date programmes since the existing awareness and sensitization programmes have become redundant.
People’s, especially youths’, voices need to be incorporated to give equal focus on prevention.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, Jan 3: The calendar year 2007 ended and issues relating to HIV and AIDS surfaced every now and then throughout the year, touching the consciousness of the people.
Going by the figures, this year there were 2528 new HIV positive cases reported and 177 AIDS cases and 21 deaths. This is based on the epidemiological analysis report published monthly by Manipur State AIDS Control Society.
Though the report is to be published monthly, the latest report published by MSACS for the year 2007 is till the month of October.
From September 1986 to January 2007 out of 1,86,095 blood samples screened, altogether 25,433 positive samples were found. The rest are males with only 5,892 female blood samples. Out of this, 3,977 people developed AIDS and 578 died.
In the September 1986 to October 2007 report, out of 2,21,119 blood samples screened, the number of positive samples were 27,961 with the number of female rising to 7,106 and AIDS cases reaching 4,154. There were 21 new death cases reported with the figure rising to 599.
If one is to go by the report given by MSACS, during January to October 2007, the increased in number of blood samples screened is 35024 out of which 2528 new positive samples were detected. In the October report it was stated that out of 4,154 AIDS cases, 3053 are males and 1101 are females and out of 599 deaths due to AIDS, 485 are males and 114 are females
The district-wise distribution of HIV positive cases as per January epi report placed Imphal at the top with 11064 positive cases followed by Thoubal with 1823 positive cases. Ukhrul comes at third place with 1274 and the fourth is Churachandpur with 1518 positive cases.
Bishnupur is at fifth with 1153 positives, Chandel at sixth with 858 cases, Senapati is at seventh with 852 positives and Tamenglong came last with 83 positive cases reported. There are another 360 cases which are categorized as unknown district.
As per October epi report, the number of positive cases in Imphal increased to 12620, Thoubal has 2139 positive cases, Churachandpur reported 1815 cases, Ukhrul have 1580, Bishnupur have 1291 positives, Senapati have more reported cases than Chandel with 1081 followed by Chandel with 1067. Tamenglong have 100 reported positive cases.
Apart from the figures, the new twist to HIV/AIDS pandemic in Manipur came in the form of hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection with HIV, which is considered as the new threat since HCV treatment is costly and beyond the affordability of many people in a poor state like Manipur.
Since the National AIDS Control Organisation started the free Anti-Retro Viral roll out in the state, many HIV positive people found a new lease of hope. For most of this time HIV was the most important health issue and HCV was just in the background.
Now, HIV treatments have kept people alive long enough to develop complications from HCV, and dealing with hepatitis C is now the most important health concern, feel many of the experts.
With HCV co-infection posing a new threat, the lifesaving ART drugs is now causing alarm among the people living with HIV. As confirmed by many in the medical fraternity, some of the ARV drugs lead to liver toxicity/damage as side effect.
Till date, the only study done on HIV and HCV co-infection in Manipur was in 2000-01 by ICMR where 98% co-infection was reported in Churachandpur district alone. It has been expressed repeatedly by the activists as well as PLHIV to include prevention of HCV in the harm reduction programmes and state AIDS policy.
On the positive side, last year saw the materialization of the political commitment in the form of the formation of the Manipur Legislative Forum on HIV/AIDS and the calling of the special Assembly on HIV/AIDS.
However, even after more than twenty years had gone by since the pandemic began in Manipur, the children living with HIV are still deprived of trained children counsellor.
Care and support for children is still equated to nutrition and education. The psychosocial aspect of HIV is yet to be addressed, especially for the children.
The time has come to sharpen the policies and programmes on HIV to include issues pertaining to co-infection and children. Moreover MSACS, the apex body on HIV/AIDS in the state, need to come up with up-to-date programmes since the existing awareness and sensitization programmes have become redundant.
People’s, especially youths’, voices need to be incorporated to give equal focus on prevention.
Source: The Imphal Free Press