Srinagar, Dec 1: Jammu and Kashmir has 3492 people living with Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while 1095 are living on Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) which is meant to maximally suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of HIV disease.
 As per the JK AIDS Prevention and Control Society, (ACS) data Jammu division tops in HIV positive patients with 90 percent cases while in Kashmir Valley only 13 percent positive HIV cases were detected so far. “This puts the total number of HIV positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir at 452 in 2011-12,” it said
 Joint Director JKSACS Deepika Thakur said this year 53,405 persons voluntarily came forward for HIV tests out of which 253 people were found HIV positive.
 Thakur said IEC (Information, Education, Communication) strategy was being adopted to disseminate AIDS awareness so as to combat the deadly disease.  “The HIV/AIDS and precautionary measures are the two main ways to fight and check the spread of HIV,” she said.
 Thakur informed that in January next year a new venture the “Red Ribbon Express Train” would arrive in the state that will stay here to generate AIDS awareness among the masses.
 The new venture was being introduced with a motive to combat HIV/AIDS, she said.

WORLD AIDS DAY OBSERVED IN KASHMIR
 Earlier, the Department of Health Services Kashmir observed World AIDS Day in collaboration with District tuberculosis Centre here today.
 Director Health Services Dr Saleem-Ur-Rehman, Block Medical Officers, Zonal Medical Officers, doctors, paramedics, Asha workers and students participated in the event.
 Besides, the function was also attended by religious scholars intellectuals, academicians and social activists and bureaucrats.
 Speaking on the occasion the Director said the department had already initiated steps to make people aware about the fatal disease and to wipe out the disease from the Valley concrete measures are underway.
 Appealing people to cooperate with the department in curbing this menace, Dr Saleem said it is people’s cooperation only which shall enable society to get rid of the disease.
 Dr Saleem said that society should always uphold the dignity of every individual despite the fact that the persons is suffering from such dreaded disease. He also made awareness about the causes of infection which include use of infected syringes by irresponsible medical staff, resulting in agony and suffering of an innocent person.
 The function was also addressed by Principal S. P College, Dr Nazir Ahmad Gilkar Srinagar besides religious scholars.
 Similar function was organized at Amar Singh College in association with the Red Ribbon Club. The function was attended by Academic Controller/Coordinator, Tahira Khanam, Paramedical Sciences Institute, Dr. Javaid Iqbal and Associate Professor, SKIMS, Dr. R. Abdul Ganai, Principal Prof. Zahoor Ahmad Chat besides staff members and students.
 Meanwhile, World Aids Day was also observed at Sheikh-ul-Alam Budgam where district TB Control Society in collaboration with JK Voluntary Health and Development Association organized a medical education resource programme also.
 About 200 participants were acquainted with the measures to control the HIV/AIDS and TB Co Infections on the occasion.
 A rally of school children was also organized by DHS Budgam on the occasion.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 1 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 2 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST