(By Saliq Parvaiz) Chandigarh is leading in containing the spread of AIDS epidemic and has managed to reduce the prevalence rate from 0.27 per cent to 0.08 per cent from 2008 till 2017 in the city, according to officials of the Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society (CSACS). The city is also ahead in voluntary blood donation compared to the neighbouring states, with 90 per cent of all blood collected coming from the city. “Chandigarh’s performance in containing the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) epidemic is better than the world average. It is definitely better than the national average,” said Dr Vanita Gupta, Project Director, CSACS, at the inauguration of AIDSCON-7, a two-day conference on AIDS at the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Sector 35B, Chandigarh, on Friday. The conference is a collaborative effort of CSACS and IMA. “The prevalence of HIV in the city has shown a steady decline from 0.27% (2008) – 0.08% (2017). The local population is only about 11 per cent of the total positive cases detected in Chandigarh. The rest are from outside the city,” said Gupta, adding that instances of syphilis positive cases have also declined from 4.7 per cent (2012) – 0.1 per cent (2017). More than 82,000 people were tested last year and 649 tested positive, according to CSACS officials. UT Health Secretary Anurag Agarwal, who was the chief guest at the conference, said, “Chandigarh SACS has given a remarkable performance. Chandigarh is a small city surrounded by two large states where the prevalence rate of HIV is much higher. But CSACS, to their credit, has done a commendable job, playing a vital role in managing and containing HIV epidemic.” Dr Savina Ammasari, Senior Strategic Information Adviser, UNAIDS, said although there has been progress, the epidemic is not over. “We have heard some people say, ‘Is AIDS still an issue?’ Today here we together have to reaffirm that we need to get to zero instances of HIV. We have to get everyone, who are infected with HIV, in treatment, provide care and support to people living with HIV,” she said. Naresh Goel, Deputy Director General, NACO, outlined the targets of achieving 90:90:90 by 2020. “The target is threefold. First, 90 per cent of all living humans have to know their HIV status, positive or negative. Second, 90 pr cent of all humans, who are infected by HIV, have to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. Lastly, 90 per cent of all those receiving this therapy will have viral suppression,” said Goel. For all the latest Chandigarh News, download Indian Express App

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