BHUBANESWAR | Saturday, August 21, 2010 | Email | Print |  | Back 

HIV/AIDS spreading fast in western Odisha

Sudhir Mishra | Balangir

Ask anybody about western Odisha, and the answer would be of a backward area where concentration of poverty, mass migration and malnutrition is high, even though it has a high concentration of mineral and mining is common. Unfortunately, western Odisha is also lags in healthcare facilities.

Recent reports of HIV/AIDS spreading its tentacles here with as many as 184 persons succumbing to AIDS in 12 backward districts of the State have made the situation grim. There are around 2,400 HIV positive people in this region, even as the United Nations has declared combating HIV/AIDS as one of its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and universal access to health services as one of the basic human rights.

According to a report of Odisha State AIDS Control Society, there are a total of 17,708 people living with HIV in Odisha out of which 11,052 are men and 6,656 are women. Out of 1,407 AIDS patients, 1,109 have succumbed to the dreaded disease, says the report.

In 12 districts of Odisha - Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nawarangpur, Rayagada, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh and Kandhamal - a total of 184 persons have died and 2,395 people are HIV positive.

In Jharsuguda district, a total of 114 cases have been detected so far while four have died from AIDS. In Sambalpur district, there are 673 HIV positive cases and out of 39 AIDS patients reported, 33 have succumbed to the disease. In Bargarh district, 180 HIV positive cases have been detected and six have died from AIDS. In Nuapada district, 150 persons have are HIVpositive and 19 people have died from AIDS. In Kalahandi district, 264 people have been detected as HIV positive and three have succumbed to the decease. In Rayagada district, 431 have been identified as HIV positive and 51 have died from AIDS. In Nawarangpur district, 409 have been identified as HIV positive and 15 have died from AIDS. In Boudh district, 326 persons have been identified as HIV positive. In Kandhamal district, 32 have been identified asHIV positive and 15 have died from AIDS. In Sonepur district, 17 persons have been identified as HIV positive.

Balangir, which is known for its acute poverty and mass migration, has now 465 HIV positive cases and 39 have died so far. However, official figures state that 327 people have been identified as HIV positive.

Counselors have been appointed in all the 14 blocks of the district but there are only five technicians.

It is futile to expect a person of Tureikela or Muribahal to come to Titlagarh for blood test. The appointment of laboratory technicians is done by the Odisha State AIDS Control Society. We have nothing to say, says an official here. We are trying to manage by imparting training to our technicians on HIV testing and posting them in migrant-prone blocks of the districts, said CDMO Dr PC Sahu.

The second ART centre in western Odisha was opened in Balangir after Burla in May this year. But it has not opened in a full-fledged manner as there is no permanent staff and only one medical officer and a pharmacist has been posted.

According to reports, the ART centre at Burla is not functioning effectively. We have to inform officials of the ART centre about the patients. Patients who come here are allegedly harassed by the officials. The drug adherence centre at Burla does not function and patients face a lot of inconvenience. There is a network of HIV positive people in Balangir which is called the Balangir Network of Positive People but they are not able to do anything.

Even as 327 people have been detected HIV positive, this is just the tip of the iceberg given the mass migration. The number of infected people can go up to one per cent of the total population or 1,500 people of the district.

Ignorance among people, lackadaisical attitude among personnel involved in combatingHIV/AIDS and absence of laboratory technicians fail to give the real picture. After the ICTC centre started in Titlagarh, the number of HIV positive cases went up rapidly. If the ICTC centres function with full-time laboratory technicians, the number is expected rise.

There is every possibility of the number of HIV positive cases going up to 1,500 in Balangir district alone and other migrant-prone backward districts like Nuapada, Kalahandi and Rayagada are equally vulnerable, points out an NGO activist.

The integrated counseling and testing facility (ICTC) has been provided only in districts belonging to A and B category in HIV prevalence while the C category districts are being overlooked. It must be noted that the prevalence of HIV is high in regions where there is acute poverty and migration, argues an official here.

Ironically, even after six years of elapse of the OSCAS, its website does not provide any data or information about the prevalence of the disease.

According to reports, major modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS are unsafe sex followed by blood transfusion and it affects mostly the youth in the age group of 14 to 35 years.

Migration has been one of the major factors in western Odisha for the spread of HIV among the rural people. The spouses of migrant labourers of western Odisha are vulnerable to the disease but neither they can challenge and defy the patriarchal system nor can get rid of the infection without preventive measures.

The health rights of the rural poor need to be addressed through inclusive approach. The HIVtesting facility is still not available in all CHCs. The absence of laboratory technicians in ICTCs makes the entire system non-functional, said Sashikant Mallick of ActionAid.

Changing lifestyle, poverty, mass migration and lack of access of universal treatment of HIVpeople have worsened the situation, besides the stigma and discrimination attached with the disease.

While the big bosses implementing the projects are getting huge salary and luxury, bottom level workers are fed up with heavy work entrusted by their officers, rued an NGO activist.

Worse, even as the United Nations has put combating HIV/AIDS as one of the millennium development goals (MDG), and India is a signatory to it, it has not even started and even worse, it is spreading and absence of testing facilities and personnel has been causing much inconvenience.

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BHUBANESWAR | Wednesday, May 12, 2010 | Email | Print | 


Red Ribbon Express to chug into Balangir on May 18

Pioneer News Service | Balangir

The Red Ribbon Express is schedule to arrive at Balangir on May 18 to develop awareness among the masses about causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS. This was announced by District Collector Shailendra Narayan Deb to mediapersons here on Monday.

The Red Ribbon Express will stay for two days here and it will be open to public above the age of 18 from 8 am to 7 pm.

The total number of detected HIV cases has gone up to 319, while 39 persons have died of AIDS in Balangir district, making it the third in the State in this respect. The mass migration, especially singular migration, is a worrying factor. Unsafe sexual behaviour and ignorance are the major causes of spreading of HIV/AIDS in the district, observed CDMO Dr PC Sahu.

Dr Sahu also gave out details about facilities available in the various coaches of the Red Ribbon Express. Moreover, two buses would also ply to the rural areas of Patnagarh and Titilagah sub-divisions to generate awareness among masses, he said.

Mediapersons wanted to know why Rs 22 lakh sanctioned for awareness generation to the Nehru Yuva Kendra for almost two years has not been utilised till date. They also sought to know why lakhs of rupees of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti has been spent to construct a huge gate at the district headquarters hospital while patients are not getting basic facilities in the hospital.

May 6, 2010 | Email | Print | 


ART centre still a signboard unit in Balangir

Pioneer News Service | Balangi

Even as the Red Ribbon Express is ready to chug into the Balangir railway station on May 18, for the second time after 2008, to sensitise people about the causes and preventions ofHIV/AIDS, a large number of vacant laboratory technician posts in the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) adversely affect the detection of HIV positives in rural areas and further deprive them of getting their basic right to treatment. 

Besides the sign board proclaiming itself to be the Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre here, is yet to be functional. Ever since the commencement of the ICTC facility since November 2002, 300 people have been detected as HIV positives and as many as 39 people have died of AIDS.

The major reasons for the rising number of HIV positives in the district are large scale migration, ignorance, poverty, unsafe sexual behaviour and unsafe blood transfusion besides the use of intravenous drug.

Out of the 300 HIV positives as many as 52 people are undergoing ART treatment at Burla. “The ART treatment is given to a person whose CD 4 count is less than 250,” said CDMO PC Sahu.

However, we are getting reports that around 50 persons are not going to Burla for the ART treatment for various reasons, including financial, Sahu added.

After the Link Worker Scheme of Action AID, awareness among the people about the causes of HIV/AIDS has increased. A large number of people have been motivated to check their HIV status and people are encouraged to go for safe blood through the Community Red Ribbon clubs in the district here. 

The ART centre for Balangir has been sanctioned with a medical officer, laboratory technician and other staffs. So far, no appointment has been done in this regard and it is yet to be functional.

“We have nothing to say here as all the appointments are done by the State AIDS Control Society and on our part we have renovated a building recently,” said a medical staff here. The Government should take immediate steps to make the ART centre at Balangir functional soon which would save the poor HIV affected from further harassments, financial loss and other ordeals, opined an NGO activist here. =

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BHUBANESWAR | Tuesday, April 27, 2010 | Email | Print | 


Community Red Ribbon saves poor man’s life in Balangir

PNS | Balangir

Given the ordeal of arranging blood by the gullible rural populace, often exploited by the mischievous elements, the Community-based Red Ribbon Clubs (CRRCs) at the rural pocket in the district has enabled the poor to get safe blood at one’s door step free of cost and also binds the rural youths to carry on the noble cause for the future needs.

The CRRC, under the Link Worker Scheme, is organised in a village incorporating the village youths, in the age group of 15-35, with a view to encouraging blood donation and ensuring availability of safe blood at the door step.

The CRRCs are different from the Red Ribbon Clubs found in educational institutions that receive support from the Government and only the students enrolled could be the members and most of their activities are limited to a certain sphere.

On the other hand, under the CRRCs, the rural youths are motivated to donate blood. A blood donor directory with the blood grouping is also prepared and in any eventualities the needy person is able to get blood without facing any harassment.

As they are being sensitised about the HIV and AIDS, they also become well aware of the safe transmission of blood. Moreover, as they have formed a club, they test the respective blood once in every three months ensuring that their blood is free from HIV. A glaring case in point is that of one Jagna Bhoi, a daily wager of Kholan village in Titiligarh block, living with wife, daughter and his son-in-law and all of them eke out a living as daily labourers.

Once he was left behind lying uncared at home while all other family members had gone out for earning their daily bread and butter.

Finding him in serious conditions, the local link worker Tankadhar Jena brought him to the Titilagarh hospital on March 26. The doctor prescribed for blood transfusion.

Tankadhar contacted the members of the local CRRC and they arranged three units of blood that helped in improving Jagna’s haemoglobin count from 3.5 to 5.

The doctor recommended for three more units and they were also arranged by the CRRC members.

After receiving 6 units of blood and staying in hospital for three days, the condition of Jagna Bhoi improved.

All this was possible due to the CRRC, formed under link worker scheme, where the local rural youths have been motivated to donate blood.

The names and blood groups of the blood donors have been written on the wall so that the local youths could see and know of the donors and get encouraged and motivated to donate blood.

“The grueling quest for a safe blood becomes easy,” quipped Bhagabata.

A total of 17 youths have donated blood since its inauguration by Titilagarh Sub-Collector Biswanath Sahu on November 17. Villagers are carrying out regular meetings in the villages, but for the concerted efforts of the community youth, Jagna Bhoi could get HIV-free blood at the doorstep that too without investment, he further added, observing other villagers should emulate it for the betterment of the community.

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BHUBANESWAR | Friday, April 9, 2010 | Email | Print | 


Ignorance leading to spread of HIV, AIDS

Pioneer News Service | Balangir

District Collector SN Dey on Wednesday formally inaugurated the month-long cultural programme, to sensitise people in rural and urban areas on HIV, AIDS in the district, on the occasion of World Health Day here.

A total of 17 cultural organisations affiliated to the local Nehru Yuba Kendra would stage five cultural programmes on HIV, AIDS in all the 285 GPs and 10 cultural programmes each in four urban local bodies of the district.

One of the major reasons for spreading of HIV/AIDS in the district is ignorance of masses and large-scale migrant population. To streamline the migration, the district administration is taking steps. “As migrants are major cause of spread of this disease besides ignorance, we have launched this month-long awareness programme,” observed Collector Dey speaking to mediapersons. He sought the cooperation of the media to make this effort a successful one.

Ever since inauguration of testing facility introduced in this district since November 2002, so far 300 HIV positives have been identified. The major reasons for spread of the disease are large number of migrants especially the single migrants, who stray from their normal life and indulge in unsafe sexual activities and become carrier of HIV/AIDS and in turn affects their family members, observed CDMO Dr PC Sahu.

HIV/AIDS is spreading rapidly in Titiligarh for the unsafe sexual activities of men having sex with men (MSM). In Balangir, Kantabanji, and Patanagrah besides for this, it is for the commercial sex worker (CSW) HIV/AIDS is spreading very fast. Shortage of laboratory technicians has affectedHIV testing in Balangir. An anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre is also going to be opened very soon, informed Dr Sahu.

Deputy Director (programme) Nehru Yuba Kendra Sangathan, Bhubneshwar Nabin Naik spoke in detail about the troupes staging cultural programmes their planning of programmes and its implementation of sensitising the rural poor.

District Youth coordinator Nehru Yuba Kendra Subhalakshmi Nayak, ADMO (PH) Dr BP Guru. DPM Ganeshwar Panda proposed vote of thanks. Later cultural teams staged various cultural programes on HIV/AIDS.

BHUBANESWAR | Monday, April 5, 2010 | Email | Print | Daily wage worker dies of AIDS in Balangir Pioneer News Service | Balangir

BHUBANESWAR | Monday, April 5, 2010 | Email | Print | 


Daily wage worker dies of AIDS in Balangir

Pioneer News Service | Balangir

Even as the Government and civil society organisations are making tall claims about sensitising people about causes and prevention of HIV and AIDS, yet reports of HIVpositives losing their lives, after prolonged sufferings, because of late detection and ignorance, are coming in not from rural, but from urban areas, much to surprise of many.

According to reports, Kambod( name changed) was a daily wage labourer in Titiligarh town died of AIDS recently after suffering from continuous coughing. As he was continuously suffering from cough, his cough was examined and was found to be suffering from TB. As his health condition worsened, one of his neighbours advised on checking his HIV status and a test revealed he was HIV positive.

A neighbourhood woman, while interacting with the local link worker Jamua Pradhani in the hospital narrated the suffering of Kamboda and his deteriorating health condition.

Getting information Jamuna visited his house and listened his history. She took the initiatives and linked him with a local NGO for CD4 count to be done at Burla.

However, as none of his relatives came forward for further tests, Jamuna took him to VSS Medical Hospital in Burla and enrolled for anti--retroviral therapy(ART) treatment. After taking ART treatment for more than one and half months Kambod died in the third week of March.

The link worker scheme, launched in the third phase of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) programme is supposed to work in the rural areas as large number of HIV positives are believed to be undetected in the rural areas. The link workers are also working in the urban area which is not their assigned area. They are supposed to work in their assigned rural areas. After the death of Kambod her family members are going through very difficult period. As the main bread earner of the family has expired, it has brought unending trouble for his wife and two children.

“We are trying to arrange assistance for Kambod family under National Family Benefit scheme as the main bread earner of the family has expired,” said supervisor of link worker scheme Bhagabat Nahak. Had Kambodar been aware about the cause of TB and HIV, AIDS and had his case been detected early his life could have been saved, Nahak added. 

ActionAid imparts training to link workersBHUBANESWAR | Monday, March 15, 2010 | Email | Print |

BHUBANESWAR | Monday, March 15, 2010 | Email | Print | 


ActionAid imparts training to link workers

PNS | Balangir

During the six-daylong training organised by the ActionAid society here from February 22-26, its link workers (LWs) working in the rural areas to prevent HIV/AIDS from this KBK district, were asked to upgrade their communication skills in a bid to encourage social inclusion of more and more persons living with HIV (PLHIV).

It is quite common to find HIV persons facing social discrimination and stigma more in rural areas than in the urban pockets and the ordeal of a PLHIV is untold and his/her social inclusion is a daunting challenge for the social workers.

“Detection of HIV positive is a daunting task and it needs skillful and effective communications,” said a resource person adding as the link worker deals with people of all sections of the society, his/her communication skill needs to be improved.

“We were provided necessary motivation skills so that we could motivate people effectively and provide the psychological support to a PLHIV besides rendering the necessary care and treatment as provided to other patients,” informed a worker at the end of the six-day training.

“Besides being oriented, the LWs also shared their problems,” said another resource person adding against the target of 100 villages, the LWs are working in 133 villages of the seven blocks in the district here.

“I personally explained about the HIV/AIDS in one our caste based meeting which was listened,” informed a woman LW.

Although several structural and formal organisations are working for HIV prevention, several informal organisations like jatisamaj (caste based society) kirtan groups, SHGs in the caste-dominated rural society are also found to be playing a crucial role in spreading the message ofHIV/AIDS and its prevention in the rural belt, sources at the training programme informed.

Balangir district, already known for its poverty, has also earned a dubious distinction of being one of the high-prevalent HIV districts in the State, thanks to the large scale migration, illiteracy, ignorance and absence of treatment facilities let alone timely detection.

“More than 200 high risk group persons have been identified meanwhile and this is a good beginning keeping in view of our limited resources,” claimed a trainer adding after the ‘roll out’ period of the project we are on the ‘action phase.’

ADMO BP Guru, Nilakantha Sandh, Brahmananda Sahu, Nanda Kishore Sandh, Rupam Mahapatra, Beauty Sharma of Bhubaneswar-based NGO Saathi, RK Prusty, Dr DS Mahanty, Prakash Kumar Barik (ActionAid) and Subham of Sakha provided training to the link workers.