Up in AIDS awareness, rush for HIV test

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Nov 28: Rising AIDS awareness in Assam is bringing more people to come forward for HIV test, and help themselves of getting rid of this epidemic by taking proper medication and treatment at the initial stage.

In a conference organized by Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS), ASACS project director Vorli Deka said, “This is good news for the State that people of Assam are becoming more aware of AIDS. The tiol average of prevalence of AIDS is 0.26% and in Assam it is just 0.06%. If we study year-wise detection of HIV positive cases in Assam, cases of AIDS have increased from 1436 in 2015-2016 to 1509 in 2016-2017. The increase in number of detection ascertains that more people are being aware about AIDS than earlier.”

“Although the prevalence rate of HIV in Assam is going down, still we have threats around. Assam is surrounded by high rate HIV-prevalence states like Manipur, Mizoram and galand, and Guwahati is the gateway to the Northeast. It is a big risk factor for Assam, and we need to be prepared. Moreover, many people go out of Assam for studies and work to other states where they get involved with high-risk groups – female sex workers, males having sex with males and drug addicts. So, we should always be careful about our companions,” she added.

Amongst all other districts in the State, Kamrup (Metro) has the highest detection of HIV-positive cases, followed by Cachar.

It was announced that ASACS is going to celebrate World AIDS Day on December 1 this year with the theme ‘Increasing Impact through Transparency and Accountability, and Partnership’. The programme will include a morning rally of 400-500 participants and a blood dotion camp.