The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Highest number of HIV cases in State

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Tuesday, Dec 01, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Highest number of HIV cases in State

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: With as many as five lakh People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs), Andhra Pradesh accounts for the highest number of 21 per cent of such people in the country, according to the latest reports.

Disclosing this on the eve of World AIDS Day here on Monday, AP AIDS Control Society Chairman R.V. Chandravadan told media persons that the problem was compounded with the State also having large number of sex workers. In the last three years, there was an increase of 30 per cent of sex workers The APSACS commissioned a study for mapping the high risk groups in all 210 urban centres like Men having Sex with Men (MSM) and young people with high risk behaviour who were spreading the epidemic. The aim of the exercise was to identify new commercial sex workers with the help of known sex workers, map the hotspots and counsel them about safe behaviour. Another worrisome factor was shifting of lodge and brothel-based commercial sex activity to home-based. With the World AIDS Day being observed on Tuesday , focus would be to ensure that no affected person would be denied access to information, treatment, surgeries, deliveries etc. Modified nutritional support to HIV-affected or infected children would be extended from Tuesday in East Godavari, Guntur and Vizianagaram apart from Kurnool where a pilot programme was already taken up.

In the second phase, Mahabubnagar, Adilabad, Anantapur, Prakasam, Chittoor, Kadapa and West Godavari would be covered.

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Andhra Pradesh