Kerala State keeps HIV prevalence under control

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Kerala State keeps HIV prevalence under control

C. Maya

Infection among general population shows a marginal decline

Thiruvananthapuram:

Kerala has succeeded in keeping the prevalence of HIV infection among the

general population controlled at 0.32 per cent over the last one year. However,

the increase in prevalence of HIV among injecting drugs users (IDUs) and men

having sex with men (MSMs) indicates that new strategies will have to be planned

to reach HIV prevention programmes to these groups who are most at risk of

infection.

KSACS survey

The annual sentinel survey conducted by the Kerala State AIDS Control Society

(KSACS) at 13 sites across the State in August-October 2005 indicated that while

the infection among the general population was steady - in fact it has shown a

slight decline from 0.33 per cent in 2004 - the prevalence among IDUs had

doubled, from 2.6 per cent in 2004 to 5.19 per cent. The prevalence among MSMs

had also gone up from 0.87 per cent to 3.2 per cent.

Targeted intervention

The KSACS had already started targeted intervention programmes among the IDUs in

Kozhikode in 2003.

This year, a Rapid Survey Assessment of opioid/ injectible drug use conducted in

Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode by the KSACS and the Society for

Service to Urban Poverty (SHARAN), New Delhi, found that there was high risk of

HIV transmission among the IDUs in these cities.

Sharing of needle

Sharing of needle and syringe, practice of unsafe sex and multiple-partner sex

was found to be quite high among IDUs in the study. Following this, the KSACS

started two intervention projects among the IDUs in Thiruvananthapuram and

Ernakulam. There is an urgent need to introduce harm reduction programmes among

injectible drug users like Needle Syringe Exchange Programme (NSEP), wherein,

the drug users are provided with safe needles and syringes in exchange for used

ones through NGOs.

" Our NSEP was stopped in February 2005, following widespread criticism that the

Government was encouraging drug users by giving out needles. This may be one of

the reasons for the increase in HIV prevalence in the IDUs, " says a KSACS

official. Findings of the State's last sentinel survey emphasises the remarks

in the Global AIDS Epidemic update 2006, brought out by UNAIDS, that there is

increasing evidence of HIV outbreaks among men having sex with men in India but

that most national AIDS programmes fail to address the specific needs of these

people. The Kerala State AIDS Control Society is planning to extend its targeted

intervention programmes among IDUs and MSMs across the State soon.

It is also planning to zero in on another potential risk group - the large

population of migrant labourers from high-prevalent States like Tamil Nadu and

Karnataka - whose increasing presence in the State calls for ore focussed

attention on their health problems.

Meets goals

Kerala has met most of the goals set by Phases I and II of the National AIDS

Control Programme (NACP).

On December 1, the State will become one of the first to focus on the goals of

NACP III, when HIV prevention programmes will be taken to the grassroots.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/01/stories/2006120111100400.htm

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S.Ajai Kumar

Programme Officer IEC

Kerala SACS

Red Cross Road

Thiruvananthapuram - 35

Kerala

e-mail: <ajai.ksacs@...>