LUDHIANA: The country may be going all out in its efforts to make people aware of HIV/AIDS and help them stay protected from the disease, but the health authorities here haven't bothered to even conduct a basic survey to gauge the pattern of the disease in the region in last five years. Neither has been any survey conducted to ascertain the level of awareness about HIV/AIDS, its prevention and safe sex among youngsters.
The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) in its latest guidelines stresses on surveys after every two years. With the focus of the AIDS control programme on increasing awareness among the youths, the health authorities have failed to figure if there has been any improvement in the awareness level among city youths.
Dr Uggar Singh Sooch, district programme officer of HIV/AIDS, said they had last conducted a HIV sentinel surveillance survey in 2008 in Ludhiana, but no survey was conducted after that.
All that the health authorities have done during this period is to maintain a regular record of new cases.
Sooch said the new NACP guidelines are a part of NACP-IV, which is yet to start.
"I acknowledge that a comprehensive survey would have helped in planning the move ahead based on the statistics, but there have been certain factors that hinder the process. Unlike cancer, where people come forward for survey, there is a stigma attached to HIV/AIDS that keeps many from participating in a survey," he added. Sooch said they haven't devised any survey that lets them ascertain if the awareness among people about AIDS has improved, but as a casual observation, he adds, "It may have increased over the years".
Dr Jasbir Dhanoa, former head, department of medicine at Christian Medical College and Hospital who has worked on HIV/AIDS in the city, said, "Fighting HIV/AIDS is one of the most important concerns of the country. A survey should be done every two years, but it is up to the government to implement the suggestions."
Social activist Ajaydeep Singh who has been involved with various causes, said a survey to figure out the trends and awareness level regarding the disease should be conducted immediately if it hasn't been conducted over last five years.
Proper statistics would help the authorities devise a proper plan to tackle the spread of the disease," added Singh.
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