Jyothi (name changed) has preferred to remain among the “hidden population” away from treatment for long due to the stigma associated with the HIV and fear of losing her livelihood.
Now, she is undergoing anti-retroviral therapy (ART) after the launch of the community-based HIV testing in Prakasam district.
“Now, I yearn to lead a healthy life after taking medicines,” she says, and guides others in the community as well to go for testing and prolong their lifespan by taking ART regularly.
Any person who tests positive for HIV is now provided ART, irrespective of the CD4 count, says Additional District Medical and Health Officer K. Padmavathi. Earlier, CD4 count of less than 500 cells per cubic millimetre was the yardstick.
“We are able to reach out to over 4,500 persons infected, but hitherto not diagnosed through seven NGOs in a fortnight,” says District AIDS Prevention and Control Unit (DAPCU) District Programme Manager P. Ranga Rao.
The community-based HIV testing was launched recently to bring it to the doorstep of the vulnerable high-risk groups, including partners of those who had tested positive, he told The Hindu .
Hitherto, only about 11,000 HIV-infected persons had got themselves registered for treatment and other benefits provided by the government, including ₹1,000 per month, while at least twice or thrice the number from the high-risk population shied away from even knowing their health status.
Even a section of those who have registered themselves keep away from treatment for various reasons, putting their lives at risk, said an activist of Prakasam District Positive People Network. “One of the reasons is the fear of losing livelihood,” he said.
A challenge
The challenge before the DAPCU is to identify all the high-risk persons and start the ART treatment early to reduce the number of persons succumbing to HIV as only fewer than half the 43,800 HIV-positive people undergo treatment, a functionary of the Link Worker Scheme says explaining the difficulty associated with identifying HIV positive people and convince them to take treatment without a break for various reasons.
