HIV cases on the rise in southern districts
The prevalence of HIV/AIDS infections among people of southern districts are increasing sharply, raising health concerns in the region.
On average, three to four new people infected with HIV are being detected every month, said officials at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).
In 2015, only 8 HIV patients were detected at the hospital. But the numbers rose to 30 new patients in 2016 and 25 in 2017. “We have detected at least 32 patients infected with HIV this year so far,” said Molla Nurul Aslam, programme manager of SHS (Strengthening HIV Service) of KMCH.
Almost all of the patients come from southern districts including Khulna, Jashore, Narail, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Gopalganj, Jhenaidah, Magura, Chuadanga and Faridpur.
Frequent movement of labourers between Bangladesh and India, floating sex workers, unsafe blood transmission, breastfeeding by infected mothers, and lack of awareness among people are major reasons behind the spread of the disease, according to hospital officials and health rights activists.
There are around 1,600 registered sex workers at different brothels in Khulna, Jashore and Bagerhat. Moreover, there are around 6,000 floating sex workers in Khulna and its surrounding districts, according to Durjoy Nari Shangha, an NGO working for welfare of sex workers.
Day labourers and workers of different goods-laden vehicles who frequently travel between Bangladesh and India are mostly the clients of these sex workers, said Rehena Begum, coordinator of Mukto Akash Bangladesh, an organisation that works on HIV.
Visiting the KMCH, the correspondent spoke to a number of people who were infected with HIV.
“I have been a truck driver for around 17 years, and often travelled to India with goods. I have been suffering from different illnesses in the last few years. Around three months ago, I got my blood tested and found that I have been infected with HIV,” said Rahman Miah (not real name), a resident of Sharsha Upazila of Jashore.
He admitted to The Daily Star that he used to go to brothels in both Bangladesh and India.
Motaleb Miah (not real name), 55, a construction worker of Jashore, worked for around 15 years in India since 2015, and returned home a few years ago. He started suffering from various types of diseases since then.
In July this year, he came to the KMCH for a blood test, and was diagnosed with HIV. Subsequently, His wife and one of his daughters were also detected HIV positive.
They are now undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Apart from physical sickness and mental distress, HIV-infected people are often subject to social stigma.
“Local people beat me up mercilessly after they came to know that my wife, daughter and I are infected with HIV. They forbade me from leaving my house and fetching water from local tube-well. We could not use the village pond,” said Motaleb.
“Even two of my other daughters who are not infected with HIV have been forbidden from going to school,” he stated..
KMCH is running several programmes to combat HIV, including Strengthening HIV Service (SHS), Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) and Peer Counselor of ART (Anti Retro Viral Therapy), said the hospital officials.
Currently, some 208 HIV patients are being treated from ART at KMCH, hospital officials said.
Dr ATM Monzur Morshed, Superintendent of KMCH, told The Daily Star that government is working hard to detect HIV patients and provide treatment free of cost, as well as to raise awareness among people to prevent transmission of the disease. Along with the government, several NGOs are working in the region to prevent HIV, he said.
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