SRINAGAR: The alarming surge in HIV/AIDS cases persists in Jammu & Kashmir, with a total of 6,305 individuals testing positive in the region from 1998 to October 2023, according to a senior health official.
As per official data, 1,452 HIV-positive patients have succumbed to the disease during the same period, while 3,583 individuals are currently undergoing Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). An additional 521 patients have discontinued follow-up.
Breaking down the data, the official revealed that GMC Jammu has reported 5,154 cases of HIV, with 1,274 fatalities, 470 discontinuing follow-up, and 2,782 individuals currently on ART.
Similarly, at SKIMS Srinagar, 776 patients are registered in HIV care until October 2023, with 152 deaths, 35 discontinuing follow-up, and 473 on ART.
In ART Kathua, 375 patients are registered in HIV care, with 26 deaths, 16 discontinuing follow-up, and 328 on ART.
The health officials emphasised the impact of social stigma on deterring people from undergoing HIV tests, contributing to the escalating number of infections over the years.
AIDS, a chronic and potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), weakens the immune system, making the body vulnerable to infections and diseases.
Notably, HIV is transmitted through sexual contact, infected blood, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The risk of transmission also exists through shared needles. Without intervention, HIV may progress to AIDS over several years.
Officials underscored the societal stigma associated with AIDS, leading to ostracism, rejection, and discrimination against affected individuals.
Highlighting the susceptibility of Jammu & Kashmir to HIV/AIDS, officials cited the region’s status as a tourist destination, the presence of long-distance truck drivers (considered a vulnerable population for HIV transmission), the influx of migrant labourers, and a high concentration of security forces.
Importantly, many patients testing positive for HIV/AIDS in J&K contracted the disease outside the Union Territory. Officials noted that drug addicts, particularly those who are married or sexually active, pose a higher risk of transmitting the virus to their partners.
The Jammu and Kashmir AIDS Control Society (JKSACS) was reconstituted from the AIDS Project Cell in December 1998, aiming to address the AIDS problem more effectively under the Jammu & Kashmir Societies Registration Act.
