The future forebodes ill. Bucking the national trend, Orissa has shown a rise in HIV cases last year. In fact, Orissa, West Bengal, Gujarat and Rajasthan are the only four states in India that have posted increase in HIV prevalence among the ANC (ante-natal clinic) attendees (a barometer to measure prevalence in the general population) contrary to the declining national trend and also in the high burdened southern and northeastern states.
The State shares borders with West Bengal and workforce with Gujarat. And in the last four years HIV is fast spreading in Gujarat and along with WB have high HIV prevalence among FSWs (female sex workers).
HIV does not respect any borders. The State has all its districts listed in the categories A-D. The disquieting fact is as high as 60 per cent of its districts are grouped in the category C that has the potential to induce high HIV growth.
The 2007 estimates added some new dimensions to the HIV phenomenon. The State is now listed as having high HIV prevalence with more than five per cent among the high-risk groups of MSM (men having sex with men) and IDUs (injectable drug users).
The prevalence stood at 7.4 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively which is higher than the national average. Again, when the adult prevalence in the State declined to 0.18 per cent from 0.22 in 2006 the total number of PLHAs (people living with HIV/AIDS) stood at over 46,000. In 2007, Deogarh registered a dubious promotion to category-A district by virtue of having more than one per cent HIV prevalence among the ANC attendees.
Another interesting fact is the discernible huge urban-rural divide in Orissa in almost all sectors gets blurred when it comes to adult HIV prevalence in contrast to the national trend. Also, with the rise in proportion of infection in children it is seen that women whose spouses work in transport industry were the worst affected followed by agri/unskilled workers, unemployed and hotel staff. Accordingly, interventions aimed at these vulnerable groups and areas are the immediate need of the hour.
