Drug abuse: HIV positivity rate rises 3 times in Muktsar district

Tribune News Service

Archit Watts

Muktsar, January 13

The number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive persons is increasing at a rapid pace in Muktsar district. Further, the positivity rate has also increased by almost three times in the past nine months (April to December 2022).

Use same syringe

It has been observed that the number of HIV-positive persons is increasing because the drug addicts inject heroin in a group, using the same syringe and needle. Satnam Kaur, Counsellor, Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre, Muktsar

A total of 271 people were found infected with HIV in the past nine months, whereas 124 people were found HIV-positive from April 2021 to March 2022.

Notably, 11,541 people were tested in the past nine months and 12,516 in the last financial year in the district.

The Health Department said a majority of the HIV- positive persons were drug addicts and aged between 18 and 30 years.

Satnam Kaur, counsellor, Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre, Muktsar, said, “It has been observed that the number of HIV-positive persons is increasing because the drug addicts inject heroin in a group, using the same syringe and needle. They are called intravenous drug users (IDUs). The virus easily transmits from one IDU to the other. The number of heterosexual cases is less. The situation is almost similar in other districts as well.”

Nodal officer (tuberculosis) Dr Gurmeet Kaur Bhandari said, “There are some integrated cases of HIV, TB and HCV in Muktsar district. These persons are mostly uneducated people.”

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