Karnataka - Belgaum   

2,966 HIV/AIDS cases detected in Belgaum this year

Marching ahead: Members of non-governmental organisations and students taking out a procession to mark World AIDS Day in Belgaum on Saturday.

Belgaum: World AIDS Day was observed here on Saturday. Members of various voluntary organisations, medicos, NCC cadets, Scouts and Guides and college students joined hands with the district administration, zilla panchayat and the Health Department in observing World AIDS Day.

They took out a procession in the city to raise awareness on the disease.

Non-governmental organisations such as Spandhana, Ramalingeshwar Gramabhivruddhi Sangh, Myrada and BIRDS, which have counselling centres to help those living with HIV/AIDS, played a key role in organising the procession and other events.

A function was held at the Indian Medical Council Hall in the District Hospital where “positive people” shared their experiences and resolved to fight against the dreaded disease by raising awareness. Senior officials of various departments were present.

The increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases in the district has become a cause for concern.

The number of cases has gone up from 1,926 in 2006 to 2,966 during the first 10 months of 2007.

The possibility of the figure crossing the 3,000 mark in Belgaum district, which has been marked “red” on the HIV/AIDS map of the country, is not ruled out.

These figures show that that there has been an increase of 1,040 cases in just 10 months.

Of the 2,966 cases detected this year, 86 died and 609 are undergoing treatment in various treatment centres in the district.

Official sources told The Hindu that 65 cases were detected in 2002, 548 in 2003, 775 in 2004 and 1,799 in 2005. Between January 2002 and October 2007, 8,079 people tested positive. As many as 202 people died during the period.

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