Awareness should be created among pregnant women to undergo HIV test, said S. Palanisamy, District Collector, here on Wednesday.
Speaking at a day training for Block Development Officers on creating awareness among people about HIV infection, the Collector said that HIV test was conducted for all pregnant women in government hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs). “If a pregnant woman is diagnosed to be infected, anti retro viral therapy will be given for 14 weeks from the time of pregnancy to avoid HIV infection to the child,” the Collector said. “Those who have tuberculosis should undergo HIV test and those who have HIV infection should undergo sputum test as HIV and tuberculosis go together,” the Collector said. Centres for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) had been established at Nagapattinam, Vedaranyam, Mayiladuthurai, and Sirkazi. A total of 1,518 persons are HIV infected in Nagapattinam district. Of them, 841 were men and 677 women. The Collector appealed to people to use all these facilities and undergo HIV test and lead a healthy life. R. Shankar, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA); and R. Chandrasekaran, PA to Collector (general), participated in the meeting.
1,518 persons have tested positive for HIV in Nagapattinam district