SRINAGAR: The Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) grapples with a concerning increase in HIV/AIDS cases, with official data revealing 6,305 individuals testing positive from 1998 to October 2023. The report highlights the severity of the situation, indicating that 1,452 HIV-positive patients have succumbed to the disease during the same period.
According to a report by Kashmir Media Service on Sunday, citing official data, 1,452 HIV-positive patients have succumbed to the disease during the same period, while 3,583 patients are currently undergoing anti-retroviral therapy while 521 patients have discontinued follow-up, According to Kashmir Media Service reported on Sunday.
Government Medical College, Jammu, has witnessed 5,154 cases of HIV, with 1,274 deaths, 470 discontinuing follow-up, and 2,782 individuals currently on ART.
Likewise, at Soura Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, 776 individuals were registered in HIV care until October 2023, with 152 fatalities, 35 discontinuing follow-up, and 473 on ART.
In ART Kathua, 375 people are registered in HIV care, with 26 fatalities, sixteen discontinuing follow-up, and 328 on ART.
The health officials emphasized the impact of social stigma on deterring people from undergoing HIV examinations, contributing to the escalating number of infections over the years.
Causes of HIV/AIDS in IIOJK
AIDS, a chronic and potentially life-threatening disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), weakens the immune system in the body, making the body vulnerable to infections and diseases.
Notably, HIV is transmitted through infected blood, physical contact, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The risk of transmission also exists through used needles. Without intervention, HIV may progress to AIDS over several years.
Underlining the susceptibility of Jammu and Kashmir to HIV/AIDS, health officials cited the valley’s status as a tourist destination, the presence of long-distance truck drivers (deemed a vulnerable population for HIV transmission), a high concentration of security forces, and the influx of migrant laborers.
