Concern over rising number of AIDS cases in the State

From a Correspondent

Dibrugarh, December1: The World AIDS Day was organized by Social Educatiol and Welfare Association (SEWA), in collaboration with District Health Department and tiol Health Mission, Dibrugarh, at DHSK Commerce College Auditorium  on Tuesday.

The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day was ‘Getting to Zero, Zero New HIV Infection, Zero Discrimition and Zero Aids Related Deaths’.

 An awareness meeting and a blood dotion camp were also organized to mark the day. The blood dotion camp was iugurated by Additiol District Commissioner, Anjav Chaliha, wherein 80 persons had volunteered to dote blood.

Later, an awareness meeting was held which was presided over by Dr. Khanindra th Bhagawati and attended amongst others by chairman of SEWA, Shanti Gogoi, S.D.M.O, H.O., and D.S.O. of Health Department, Dr. bajyoti Gogoi, Dr. Biswajit Borthakur ,AMCH,  Blood Bank Officer of AMCH, Dr. Karabi Bora Chaliha and  Pranjit Kumar Saikia, DIPRO, Dibrugarh.

Talking on the significance of the day and the need for its awareness, the ADC Anjav Chaliha expressed concern over the rising number of AIDS cases in the State which acts as the transit point between other north-eastern States. The recent declaration of WHO that the virus is spreading at an alarming rate raises the need to check the spread of AIDS infected patients through a proper surveillance team in an extensive way.

Dr bajyoti Gogoi, as the chief guest, deliberated his speech through a power point presentation that included a detailed and informative data on the augmented graph of AIDS patients with Dibrugarh having 630 of such patients. Gogoi informed the gathering that Chirang was the only district in Assam with no presence of AIDS infected persons as the district was restricted for outsiders to stopover.

Dr. Biswajit Borthakur, in his speech stated the difference between AIDS patients and HIV infected patients. Proper and regular treatment can give longevity to the infected person and proper dosages of drugs as prescribed can in a long way help in increasing the resistance of these patients to survive as normal beings, he stated. Dr. Borthakur further informed the gathering about the negativity prevailing on how the disease is being transmitted to other people. He added that disease does not spread socially by way touch or through any physical contacts, but spreads only through blood transfusion.

Earlier, the objective of the awareness meeting was laid down by District News Specialist, Debanga Bikas Gogoi, while the general secretary of SEWA, Arfan Hussain, delivered the vote of thanks.