Srinagar, Dec 03: As many as 1332 persons have died in J&K because of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) till October 2022, a cumulative figure revealed to Rising Kashmir by the concerned officials confirmed.
It was revealed that a total of 5896 people in J&K living with HIV/AIDS were registered with the three centres of J&K State Aids Control Society (JKSACS) at GMC Jammu, GMC Kathua and SKIMS Soura. Among them, 3313 were on treatment.
As per the detailed figures, as many as 4900 persons living with HIV have been registered at GMC Jammu which includes 2913 males, 1696 females, 11 transgenders, 162 male children under five years and 118 female children under five years. Among them, 1402 are alive on treatment and 328 have lost follow-up. 273 people were on treatment.
Similarly at SKIMS Srinagar, the total number of people living with HIV was 703 out of which 501 were males, 158 were females, eight were transgenders, 21 were male children and 15 were female children under five years of age.
It was revealed that at GMC Kathua, the total number of people living with HIV was 293 which include 136 males, 141 females, 11 male children and five female children under five years of age. 122 people were alive on ART treatment.
Dr Tabassum Jabeen, Deputy Director of J&K State Aids Control Society, said out of the total of 1332 (which is a cumulative figure since JKSACS started its operations to till date), 1190 deaths have been reported in Jammu and 142 in Kashmir.
Dr Tabassum said that the drugs presently are very effective and people living with HIV can live healthy life. “The Antiretroviral therapy (ART) provided to people is effective and can help such people to live a better and healthy life,” she said.
This year, the AIDS Day theme is “Equalize”, which emphasises eliminating the inequalities that have slowed the fight against the disease.
The inequalities, such as gender inequality, limit women’s access to HIV care and other forms of sexual and reproductive health care, which in turn affects their decision-making capabilities and their capacity to decline unwanted sexual encounters or negotiate for safer ones.
The “Equalize” slogan is a call to action. It is a prompt for all to work for the proven practical actions needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS.
These include (1)-Increase availability, quality and suitability of services, for HIV treatment, testing and prevention, so that everyone is well-served. (2)-Reform laws, policies and practices to tackle the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV and by key and marginalized populations, so that everyone is shown respect and is welcomed. (3)-Ensure the sharing of technology to enable equal access to the best HIV science, between communities and between the Global South and North. (4)-Communities will be able to make use of and adapt the “Equalize” message to highlight the particular inequalities they face and to press for the actions needed to address them.
