PANJIM, DEC 1
Goa has seen a drop in the number of HIV cases detected in the last three years, even as those coming forward for getting themselves checked for the disease has gone up three-fold.
This was revealed by Project Director Goa State Aids Control Society Dr Pradeep Padwal at a function to celebrate World Aids Day on Wednesday at Clube Gaspar Dias in Miramar, here.
Padwal observed the increasing number of people coming forward to get themselves checked indicates there were no “hidden” cases. In the last three years the graph of people coming for check-ups has gone up significantly and surprisingly the detection rate is going down, he stated.
He revealed further that the State Government was in the process of finalising a new NGO to run a community care centre (CCC) in North Goa to work for the betterment of those living with HIV.
Answering to the demand raised by one of the participants for starting a second line of treatment for those with HIV in Goa, Dr Padwal said this wasn’t possible because the patients were very few. It is economically non-feasible to have a huge set-up for such a few number of patients, he added.
Dr Vijay Kumar Edward of World Vision India called upon NGOs in the State working in the field of HIV/AIDS to develop a synergy among them. “The ideal scenario one could imagine is an AIDS-free Goa. Will that be possible?” he observed.
Dr Edward urged those working in the field to watch out for other killers of HIV and especially warned against tuberculosis (TB), a leading cause of HIV-related deaths.
The programme witnessed a person living with HIV urging upon the Government to make it easier for them to avail of the scheme under which they are paid Rs 1,000 a month.