Alang migrant workers unleash HIV crisis

January 31, 2006

[Tuesday, January 31, 2006 02:53:19 am PTI ]

ALANG: Long separation from the family, pathetic working conditions

in ship-breaking and recycling yards and comparatively good money

are prompting the large population of migrant workers to go to sex

workers and thereby increase the risk of contracting HIV infections.

This necklace-shaped shipbreaking yard on the western flank of Gulf

of Cambay is a home to thousands of migrants from Madhya Pradesh,

Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

" The migrant workers who live in the ship-breaking yards of Alang

and Sosiya, exhibit inclination to visit sex workers and thereby

increase the risk of contracting HIV infections, " said Dr Niloo

Vaishnav, chairman of Bhavnagar blood bank.

" We conducted HIV sero survey of migrant workers of Alang ship

breaking yards from July 2004 to September, by taking samples of

2155 people. The results indicated that 0.7 per cent of the people

tested HIV positive, " he said.

Vaishnav said, though the result is not alarming, what is a matter

of concern is their highrisk behaviour. If the number of HIV

infections is less, it is only because the sex workers whom they are

visiting may not be having the infection.

But, their behaviour is definitely a matter of concern and hence, we

are creating awareness among the workers, " he added.

The study was conducted under the auspices of Project AIDS,

Bhavnagar blood bank, which has been engaged in AIDS education and

prevention work in Alang for over 10 years, focusing on reducing

high-risk behaviour among the workers, Vaishnav said.

" As with other migrant work force, the HIV sero status of the Alang

population was of special interest, " he added

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