Agartala: Even as Tripura falls among low-prevalence states, altogether 120 AIDS patients have fallen prey to the deadly disease till the date, official sources confirmed here.
Currently the state has 1111 HIV positive cases while the number of registered AIDS patients stands at 991. Of the total AIDS patients, 389 are receiving treatment from the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) at GBP Hospital.
In the year 2011-12 FY, as many as 53,927 blood samples were tested across the state and out of which only 197 blood slides were diagnosed positive.
The positivity rate stood 0.36. Likewise, 64156 blood samples were tested during the year 2012-13 FY while only 185 positive cases detected. In the same year, the positivity rate was 0.33.
Altogether 42,094 blood samples were tested during current financial year (2013-14) and only 118 HIV positive cases were detected till October.
The positivity rate stood 1.28 percent which is very low.
As per the statistics, the state has 991 AIDS patients and out of whom 814 are registered with the Tripura State AIDS Control Society. Around 177 AIDS patients have not enrolled their names with the Society. Sources in the TSACS said a sizable number of HIV positive cases or AIDS patients are from central security forces.
“The statistics clearly indicates, the number of HIV positive cases or AIDS patients is not increasing in the state. Yet, we are doing our level best to control the deadly disease”, said Project Director of TSACS Dr. Tapan Kumar Das here on Wednesday.
Talking to Tripura Times at the TSACS office here, Dr. Das underlined need to sensitize people about the disease though the state is in better position when it comes to prevalence rate (.23).
This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a slogan- getting to zero to tackle the deadly disease. Getting to zero means zero new infection, zero discrimination and zero death. “We are working on the WHO prescribed slogan to address the problem”, added he.
