Addressing the world Aids day observation organised by Bhandary Foundation (Sahyadri Group of Institutions) on Tuesday, Dr Shetty said that there are as many as 25.5 lakh HIV infected persons in India and over the last few years there has been a paradigm shift in the scenario.
“While earlier it was considered as a urban disease, today large number of cases are being detected from rural areas. While earlier there was a clear cut high risk group today general public are getting affected by the same in large numbers,” he said and added that Karnataka is one of the 6 High Risk states in the country and it contributes to 10 per cent of the total HIV infected persons in the nation.
Dr Shetty said that despite central as well as state governments taking step to control the spread of the disease, the disease is still rampant, which means that awareness level of the people about the disease is not sufficient.
“Government has spent about Rs 7,009 crore under the National Aids Control Programme in the nation. At present, the programme is in its III stage but yet there is a long way to go,” he said.
New course
Dr Shetty said that there might be a policy in future stating that every hospital must have certain number of beds earmarked for HIV patients and if this policy comes in there will be need for nurses trained to handle HIV cases in specific. Keeping this in mind, RGUHS will introduce a 6 months certificate course on HIV/Aids for nurses only, enabling the nurses to handle HIV cases more efficiently.
District-in-Charge Minister Krishna J Palemar inaugurated the programme and said that the social stigma against HIV infected persons still persists in the country. He recalled Veenadhari, a HIV positive person who fought for the rights of the positive people and said that HIV positive people must seek courage to live from the life of Veenadhari.
Suresh Salian from Hongirana Network of Positive People shared his experience of life after being tested positive for HIV. Bhandary Foundation Chairperson Manjunath Bhandary, Canara Bank DGM Balachandra Rao, RGUHS Syndicate Member Jaykar Shetty among others were present. Earlier students of Sahyadri Group of institutions formed a human chain to showcase their solidarity with the positive people.
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