The Hindu: Mumbai: Wednesday, August 23, 2017.
There is bad
news in store for the fight against AIDS in Maharashtra, with the State at the
top of the HIV-positive list with 28,952 cases recorded in 2016-17. While
unified Andhra Pradesh reported the maximum number of HIV cases earlier, the
division of the State and the formation of Telangana has now pushed Maharashtra
to the top of the table. In 2016-17, Andhra Pradesh had recorded 25,322 cases
while Telangana recorded 11,271.
As per data
obtained under the RTI Act from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)
by activist Chetan Kothari, the maximum number of transmissions take place
through the heterosexual route. However, transmissions from mother to child,
MSM (men having sex with men) and through infected blood and blood products
continues to be a worry.
Dr. Shrikala
Acharya, project director, Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS) said
there has been a 50% reduction in cases in the country overall. “All
interventions continue in the same way in Maharashtra. However, it has suddenly
moved up the list due to the division of Andhra Pradesh.” In the last five
years, the data does show a decline in cases. In 2012-13, the State recorded
42,458 cases, which fell to 42,112 cases in 2013-14. The numbers fell further
to 37,458 in 2014-15 and to 32,836 in 2015-16.
Infectious
diseases specialist Dr. Om Shrivastav said a huge migrant population and
changing demographics can be a major reason behind the high numbers. “There is
still a need for awareness and education to make a difference. The importance
of discussing sex education on an open platform continues to be the need of the
hour.”
Mother-to-child
transmission still continues to be a worry. In 2016-17, 1,567 newborn were
infected through their mothers. Medical experts say with the availability of
new drug regimes, the rate of mother-to-child transmission can be brought down
to zero. According to gynaecologist Dr. Ashok Anand from JJ Hospital, early
intervention and close monitoring of HIV-positive pregnant women can go a long
way in reducing the incidence of transmission to children.
JJ Hospital
has achieved a zero-percent transmission rate over the past three years by
using the multi-drug Nevirapine therapy. “Neviripine is given to the baby for
three weeks if the mother is on Anti-Retroviral Therapy since 14th week of
pregnancy, and for six weeks if the mother starts ART at 24 weeks,” he said.
Dr. Anand said if JJ Hospital can achieve zero-percent transmission, so can
others.
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