HIV/AIDS Cases On The Rise In IIOJK

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Dec, 2023) The alarming surge in HIV/AIDS cases persists in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with a total of 6,305 individuals testing positive from 1998 to October 2023.

According to Kashmir Media Service, as per official data, 1,452 HIV-positive patients have succumbed to the disease during the same period, while 3,583 individuals are currently undergoing anti-retroviral therapy (ART). An additional 521 patients have discontinued follow-up.

The official revealed that Govt Medical College, Jammu, has reported 5,154 cases of HIV, with 1,274 fatalities, 470 discontinuing follow-up, and 2,782 individuals currently on ART.

Similarly, at Soura Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, 776 patients are registered in HIV care until October 2023, with 152 deaths, 35 discontinuing follow-up, and 473 on ART.

In ART Kathua, 375 patients are registered in HIV care, with 26 deaths, 16 discontinuing follow-up, and 328 on ART.

The health officials emphasized the impact of social stigma on deterring people from undergoing HIV tests, contributing to the escalating number of infections over the years.

AIDS, a chronic and potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), weakens the immune system, making the body vulnerable to infections and diseases.

Notably, HIV is transmitted through physical contact, infected blood, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The risk of transmission also exists through shared needles. Without intervention, HIV may progress to AIDS over several years.

Highlighting the susceptibility of Jammu and Kashmir to HIV/AIDS, officials cited the region’s status as a tourist destination, the presence of long-distance truck drivers (considered a vulnerable population for HIV transmission), the influx of migrant laborers, and a high concentration of security forces.