HIV&AIDS and Orissa

The first case of HIV infection in Orissa was reported in 1992 in the District of Nayagarh and the first reported death due to AIDS was in 1993 and was reported from Ganjam. Since then a cumulative total of 1036 AIDS cases have been reported while the estimated numbers of HIV cases are 11,436. (OSACS, Nov 2008). 4900 people have been registered for treatment at ART centres of Cuttack and Berhampur. The number of death cases reported is 803.

However these figures may not be a true reflection of the HIV status in Orissa as:
- No comprehensive study has been conducted to assess the magnitude of the problem.

- Although ICTC/VCCTC facilities are available, there are intermittent gaps in procurement and distribution of essentials such as testing kits.

- No stringent adherence to disease surveillance guidelines as a result many a times in many of the district level data seems to be either inflated or there is underreporting.

In the district of Ganjam the epidemic, which was initially concentrated in certain localities and certain subpopulation, has now spilled over into the wider population. Ganjam also accounts for 43% of all AIDS Cases reported from Orissa. On the national level, Ganjam district is ranked as eighth of the 14 most HIV-affected districts, and has been given a Grade ‘A’, since more than 1 % of the population is now affected by AIDS. As per the latest figures, available from the Behaviour Surveillance Survey Report 2006, Orissa has a prevalence rate of 0.22 % among adult population. Among the districts, Ganjam was at the top with 3.25% followed by Angul with 1.75%, Bolangir 1.25% and Bhadrak 1%.

Despite this grim scenario in Ganjam, only 4 Targeted Intervention Programme are currently being implemented through three NGOs. Aruna which is implementing two of the TIs, GPSS one and a new organization Janasadhana has been working since the past one month.

The population covered through these TIs is hardly 50,000. What is worrying is that though all the 22 Blocks have reported positive cases with Aska and Hinjilikat leading, the TIs are only being implemented in two of the Blocks.

Many National/International Organizations have come to Ganjam and expressed their concern about the situation in Ganjam, however they have rarely spent their resources. Many National/International organizations have access to resources to be spent on HIV&AIDS in Orissa, however majority of the money is not spent on community level initiatives or strenghtening the capacity of local NGOs/CBOs (who will be very effective in prevention initiatives) but on establishing structures of their own, and that too not in Ganjam but in Bhubaneswar. The need of the hour is not establish layers and layers within one's own organization but to build the capacity of local CBOs and NGOs to tackle migration and HIV&AIDS and create a sustainable initiative.

I sincerely do hope that NGOs and CBOs and other civil society organizations come together and along with the Government act as pressure groups for national/international organizations and plan which are the priority areas in Orissa where resources should be poured in and who should be the major beneficiaries of these resources.