Chandigarh, Nov 30 (IANS) The number of HIV cases in Punjab is going up due to increased prevalence of the infection among injectable drug users and now stands at nearly 61,000, health officials said.
Figures revealed Tuesday by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society (PSACS), on the eve of the World AIDS Day (Dec 1), said that there are over 60,836 HIV infected people in Punjab.
‘The increase in HIV estimates of Punjab is primarily due to increased HIV prevalence among Injectable Drug Users (IDUs). As per the mapping estimates (2009), there are around 23,000 IDUs in the state with HIV prevalence of 26.1 percent, whereas the national prevalence among IDU is 9 percent,’ a PSACS official said here.
The prevalence of HIV infection among men was higher compared to women in the state, the official said.
Punjab’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla said efforts were being made to create awareness among people in all districts regarding HIV and AIDS.
‘At present, PSACS is reaching out to the IDUs with HIV prevention services through 25 targeted intervention projects in 18 districts of Punjab,’ Chawla said.
For early diagnosis of HIV cases, PSACS has established 152 integrated counseling and testing centers across the state which include 71 stand-alone facilities, two under Public Private Partnership and others at health centres.
India is estimated to have 23.9 lakh people infected with HIV, health officials said.
