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Udupi District Health Officer Dr Ramachandra Bairy has said that Udupi district has moved from red zone to yellow zone in the HIV-infected people list.

Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, the DHO said measures will be taken to ensure that the district will soon be in green zone with zero new infected HIV cases. “We have chalked out plans to create awareness to eradicate the stigma attached to the HIV-infected persons.”

District Aids Nodal Officer Dr Ashok said that the HIV positive among general public till October is three per cent. As many as 22,440 people were tested for HIV in counselling centres and 584 tested positive. Of them, 188 patients are migrant labourers. About 65 died of HIV and 438 are under ART medication.

When pregnant women were tested as a part of anti-natal care programme, 0.20 per cent were infected till October in 2012.

The figures for 2009 and 2009 were 0.54 per cent and 0.25 per cent respectively.

He added that the Centre has selected Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for  pilot study to make pregnant women free of HIV.  A pregnant woman irrespective of CDS-4 count is administered with ART medication following her 14 weeks of pregnancy. About 80 per cent of pregnant women are screened in government hospitals and the rest in private hospitals.

He said Rs 10,53,850 was released from District Woman and Child Welfare Department to offer financial help of Rs 800 for HIV infected children, every month. As many as 118 children are covered under the scheme. 

Stating that there is a need to educate people in the age group of 15 and 24 on Aids, he said awareness programmes will be held in 100 high schools  in December.

The DHO said the World Aids day will be inaugurated by Minister for Port, Muzrai and Inland Water Transport Kota Srinivas Poojary on December 1 at Government Pre University College Hiriyadka.

Awareness progmme

An awareness programme will be held at Ravindra Kala Bhavan of University College in Mangalore, as a part of World Aids Day.

The programme will be inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Dr N S Channappa Gowda. The students will present a skit and Yakshagana.

The department of community medicine will organise walkathon to create awareness in Aids on December 1.

According to a press release, the students will walk from Kshema to Thokkottu. About 350 students and staff are expected to take part. The students of Nursing College of Nitte University will stage a street play and will highlight the social aspects of Aids and motivate people to accept HIV positive patients and give them enough care and concern.