HIV ON THE RISE IN GALLE DIST.

Health authorities alarmed

Meanwhile two out of 5,839 expectant mothers who underwent blood tests for VDRL Syphilis were found positive

Health authorities in the South are perturbed that the rate of the HIV infected is increasing in a large proportion every year. Medical Officer of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention Unit of the Mahamodara Hospital in Galle Dr.darshani Wijewickrama told a meeting of the AIDS Prevention Coordinating Committee held at the District Secretariat, that 75 patients had been identified last year and that it had increased to 81 this year. She said that several of them had died and 55 others were under treatment while many others who contracted the disease evaded treatment.

Dr. Mrs.wijewickrama said 5,921 expectant mothers were subject to blood tests this year to find that none of them had contracted HIV. She said one expectant mother who contracted the disease had been reported last year and that treatment provided to her prevented her child from contracting the disease. “Meanwhile two out of 5,839 expectant mothers who underwent blood tests for VDRL Syphilis were found positive but they recovered after treatment. A massive countrywide programme is under way to prevent children from contracting HIV from mothers during pregnancy. According to the WHO standards, if the number of children who contracted the disease from mothers during pregnancy is less than 50 that country should be considered to have successfully controlled the spread of the disease. Sri Lanka is one such but the WHO has not yet accepted it. We are now collecting data to be forwarded to the WHO” Dr. Mrs. Wijewickerema said

The Medical Officer further said it was sad that the number of young men and women falling prey to the HIV infection was increasing and that the trishaw drivers and those engaging in tourism had been identified as the majority of risk groups.