HYDERABAD: The Union Health Ministry's annual HIV/AIDS estimates, particularly those pertaining to Andhra Pradesh, have raised eyebrows in the State Capital.

The Ministry had claimed on Wednesday in New Delhi that the HIV prevalence rate in Andhra Pradesh had shot up to 2.25 per cent in 2004 from 1.25 per cent in 2003, making the State the first to have HIV prevalence rates above two per cent.

However, those involved in the anti-HIV campaign in Andhra Pradesh refuse to buy this theory, and assert that the prevalence rate here is much lesser. Pointing out that the Ministry had taken into consideration only the HIV prevalence in urban areas, they say the rates in both urban and rural areas should have been added and the average been taken.

Such a calculation pegs the HIV prevalence in Andhra Pradesh at 1.66 per cent, with the urban centres recording 1.95 per cent (the Ministry puts this at 2.25) and the rural centres, 1.34 per cent. For 2003 too, the Ministry had taken only the urban figure of 1.25 per cent whereas the average of 1.53 per cent should have been taken.

400 samples tested

The percentage was calculated from among 400 samples each tested at 45 sites in the State. From these, the figures recorded in antenatal clinics were taken as proxy for the prevalence rates in the general population aged between 15 and 49 years.

Even as the confusion over statistics prevails, there is no argument over the fact that the HIV/AIDS scenario in the State has proliferated. According to reports of the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS), the number of high prevalence districts, where the rates are two per cent or above has gone up from seven in 2003 to 10 in 2004.

Nizamabad, Warangal and Khammam have joined Guntur, East and West Godavari, Prakasam, Nellore, Cuddapah and Karimnagar districts while Hyderabad's prevalence rate came down to 0.75 per cent from one per cent.

Meanwhile, APSACS has decided to step up its anti-HIV programmes, the Society project director, K. Damayanthi, told The Hindu . The additional project director, P. Somasekhar Reddy, said all the Government medical colleges in the State would be made Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) centres.

This means that seven more medical colleges would be added to the existing three centres at Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam and the Kurnool General Hospital.

A proposal was pending to add the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati and the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad to the list.

Further, 52 area hospitals with 100 beds and community health centres (CHC) in high prevalence districts would be added to the existing 41 Prevention of Parent To Child Transmission (PPTCT) centres.

The Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres, currently at 105 locations, would be extended to CHCs at the sub-district level and more STD clinics would be opened, Dr. Reddy said.

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