BHUBANESWAR | Thursday, November 19, 2009 | Email | Print | 
AIDS spreading its tentacles in Titlagarh
Sudhir Mishra | Bolangir
HIV/AIDS is spreading its tentacles rapidly in Titlagarh. Around 107 HIV positive cases have alredy detected ever since the testing and counseling facility started here three years ago in November 2006, four years after the Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre was inaugurated in Bolangir district headquarters in 2002.
While in 2006 three HIV positive cases were detected, the number rose to 14 in 2007. In 2008 the number rose further to 58 and till October 2009, 32 HIV positive cases have been detected. While 40 persons have registered themselves for ART treatment, there are 15 full-blown AIDS cases in the town now. The major reasons for the rapid spread of this disease here are gross ignorance about the infection, unsafe sex and homosexual practices, better railway connectivity and of course poverty, explains CDMO Dr PC Sahu.
Poverty leads to homosexual practices among men who make it a profession for money. In Titligarh, there is a registered body of 250 homosexuals who normally work in hotels at very low wage. This forces them to work as male sex workers. As the town has good railway connectivity, they also go to other places like Sambalpur and Raipur and indulge in unsafe sexual behaviour. Locals urge that the hotels of the area should get all such workers thoroughly checked. Moreover the targeted intervention partner should also work more actively, they feel.
However this is not confined to Titlagarh town alone. The menace is fast spreading in many rural areas of western Odisha also, said an NGO worker working here.
The earlier targeted approach of the NACO covered the urban high risk population and neglected the rural areas. So in its third phase, link workers were introduced in order to reach the rural areas. Under the programme, a village plan is prepared by using the participatory rural appraisal technique to establish community access to health and other provisions, he said.
We have adopted the Society Tackling AIDS through Rights (STAR) approach involving men and women, married and unmarried. The basic objective of the formation of such groups is to discuss their problems related to HIV and AIDS as even today discussing about sex is considered as a taboo in our society, he said further.
Within a month many suspected patients have been referred to the Integrated Counseling Testing Centre and two patients from rural areas have been diagnosed of AIDS, sources said. Moreover, community-based Red Ribbon Club has been formed in each GP and the club members who are mostly youth have volunteered themselves to donate blood to save the life of AIDS patients. A directory of blood donors would be prepared which would be of immense help in time of need and their blood would be checked once in three months, sources added.
Earlier villagers used to shy away from the topic but now they are listening and also participating in the resolution to eradicate the dreaded disease. Moreover, Panchayats have also shown interest to take up HIV/AIDS as an issue in their meetings and get ratified the village plan in the Gram Sabha.
As women are more vulnerable to HIV, they need to be sensitised. Asha, ANM and other women functionaries at the grassroots level should be sensitised which would go long way in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in rural areas, say experts. What is required is creating awareness among the rural populace about HIV/AIDS and encouraging them for institutional delivery in hospitals, safe blood transfusion and safe sex. Now we perceive a change in the attitude and behaviour of the rural people as many are asking for condoms, say ICTC officials here.
=====================================================AIDS spreading its tentacles in Titlagarh
Sudhir Mishra | Bolangir
HIV/AIDS is spreading its tentacles rapidly in Titlagarh. Around 107 HIV positive cases have alredy detected ever since the testing and counseling facility started here three years ago in November 2006, four years after the Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre was inaugurated in Bolangir district headquarters in 2002.
While in 2006 three HIV positive cases were detected, the number rose to 14 in 2007. In 2008 the number rose further to 58 and till October 2009, 32 HIV positive cases have been detected. While 40 persons have registered themselves for ART treatment, there are 15 full-blown AIDS cases in the town now. The major reasons for the rapid spread of this disease here are gross ignorance about the infection, unsafe sex and homosexual practices, better railway connectivity and of course poverty, explains CDMO Dr PC Sahu.
Poverty leads to homosexual practices among men who make it a profession for money. In Titligarh, there is a registered body of 250 homosexuals who normally work in hotels at very low wage. This forces them to work as male sex workers. As the town has good railway connectivity, they also go to other places like Sambalpur and Raipur and indulge in unsafe sexual behaviour. Locals urge that the hotels of the area should get all such workers thoroughly checked. Moreover the targeted intervention partner should also work more actively, they feel.
However this is not confined to Titlagarh town alone. The menace is fast spreading in many rural areas of western Odisha also, said an NGO worker working here.
The earlier targeted approach of the NACO covered the urban high risk population and neglected the rural areas. So in its third phase, link workers were introduced in order to reach the rural areas. Under the programme, a village plan is prepared by using the participatory rural appraisal technique to establish community access to health and other provisions, he said.
We have adopted the Society Tackling AIDS through Rights (STAR) approach involving men and women, married and unmarried. The basic objective of the formation of such groups is to discuss their problems related to HIV and AIDS as even today discussing about sex is considered as a taboo in our society, he said further.
Within a month many suspected patients have been referred to the Integrated Counseling Testing Centre and two patients from rural areas have been diagnosed of AIDS, sources said. Moreover, community-based Red Ribbon Club has been formed in each GP and the club members who are mostly youth have volunteered themselves to donate blood to save the life of AIDS patients. A directory of blood donors would be prepared which would be of immense help in time of need and their blood would be checked once in three months, sources added.
Earlier villagers used to shy away from the topic but now they are listening and also participating in the resolution to eradicate the dreaded disease. Moreover, Panchayats have also shown interest to take up HIV/AIDS as an issue in their meetings and get ratified the village plan in the Gram Sabha.
As women are more vulnerable to HIV, they need to be sensitised. Asha, ANM and other women functionaries at the grassroots level should be sensitised which would go long way in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in rural areas, say experts. What is required is creating awareness among the rural populace about HIV/AIDS and encouraging them for institutional delivery in hospitals, safe blood transfusion and safe sex. Now we perceive a change in the attitude and behaviour of the rural people as many are asking for condoms, say ICTC officials here.
No comments:
Post a Comment