PANJIM: Almost one case of HIV positive was detected every single day in the month of January for Goa, the Economic Survey 2016-17 stated adding total 37 persons were tested HIV positive in the very first month of the 2017.
The Economic Survey placed before the State Legislative Assembly indicates that there has been decline in number of persons testing positive for HIV since 2007.
As per the information provided, a total of 37 HIV positive cases have been detected in January, while 5820 blood samples were tested.
The year 2016 recorded 302 HIV positive cases as against 345 cases in 2015. However, the total number of blood samples tested for HIV witnessed increased from 62,657 in 2015 to 65,080 samples during the last year. The HIV positive detection rate in 2016 stood at 0.64 percent while in 2015 it was 0.55 percent.
“It is been observed that number of persons detected HIV positive has declined from 1094 in 2007 to 302 in 2016,” the report stated. However, the total number of blood samples collected for testing has witnessed substantial rise from 22,917 in 2007 to 46,988 in 2016.
Total 1,019 HIV positive cases were detected in 2008, which dropped to 959 in 2009 and further declined to 821 in 2010. The graph then continued to show downward trend – 665 cases in 2011, 554 persons tested positive in 2012, then 532 cases in 2013, 475 in 2014 and 345 in 2015.
The information further reveals that the detection rate is high amongst male then female, with maximum number of cases for both male and female being detected between the age group of 25-34 years.
The HIV testing facilities are available at eleven Integrated Counseling and Testing Centres (ICTCs), four Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission Centers (PPTCT), 19 facility integrated counseling and testing centers at primary health care and 14 in public private partnership hospitals in the State.
