A massive rally by college students and healthcare personnel marked the beginning of the week-long programme of World AIDS Day in the district on Sunday.
Raising slogans to create awareness among people about AIDS and HIV positive status, students carried placards and banners and walked from Government Arts College to SSBN College while it was drizzling in the city. A shot in the arm was the announcement of award by State government for the Anantapur district technical team engaged in managing the implementation and monitoring of programmes for HIV-Positive persons and activities of district AIDS control unit.
District Medical and Health Officer K.V.N.S. Anil Kumar said the unit was adjudged the best among 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh for the third consecutive year.
Expressing happiness at the successful implementation of the programme in the district with good dedicated team work, he said they monitor the programme implementation, treatment at ART Centres, blood banks, organising and planning the programmes in advance.
The closing function of the week-long programme will be held at Gooty with a rally and meanwhile, awareness programmes would be held in 60 junior colleges all over the district, said Dr. Anil Kumar at SSBN College.
Government General Hospital Superintendent Ramaswamy Naik, AIDS Control Unit district supervisor G.V. Ramana participated in the rally that was flagged off by Arts College principal Janardhan Reddy and RDT Health Director P. Siddappa.
Cases declining
Meanwhile, the total number of cases of HIV positive persons registered during the last financial year in Anantapur district was 1,223 out of 1,37,167 persons tested during routine checks and out of 91,719 pregnant women 65 were found HIV positive during compulsory screening.
During the current fiscal till October-end, out of 52,871 pregnant women 42 were found HIV positive and out of 74,744 general public tested, 735 were found positive.
The number of HIV positive cases have been declining in the district since 2015-16, said Mr. Ramana. The percentage of positive cases came down from 1.52% to 0.89% last year and during the current year so far (till October) it is 0.98%.