Bihar's Sitamarhi is primarily a pilgrimage site. It has countless temples. And there is Sitakund. But in the past few months, HIV has taken on epidemic proportions in this district. According to Bihar government data, the number of HIV-infected people in Sitamarhi alone has exceeded 7,400. This includes almost 400 children.
Also Read | Luthra brothers denied any relief, Thailand will deport the owners of the Goa nightclub soon
HIV-infected patients are crowding the district's Anti-Retroviral Therapy Centre every day. Centre staff are continuously conducting awareness campaigns. But nothing is working, alleges ART Medical Officer Dr. Hasin Akhtar. He says, "Campaigns are conducted regularly. But awareness has not developed in that way yet. Forty to sixty new infections are being detected every month. We are now providing medicine to nearly 5,000 patients."
According to doctors, if the father or mother or both are HIV-infected, then this virus spreads to the child's body at birth. However, Hasin Akhtar believes the situation in Sitamarhi is extremely alarming.
Also Read | India’s first Sleeper Vande Bharat is expected to cover the Patna-Delhi route in just 8 hours
Why is infection increasing?
According to doctors, many people do not undergo health checkups before marriage. This is the main reason. Due to low awareness and social prejudice and shame, many do not get tested. As a result, the disease spreads rapidly.
The administration is conducting camps in rural areas to prevent HIV infection. According to Health Department officials, if awareness and the number of tests are not increased, the infection could take an even more dangerous form in the coming days. This is a warning not only for the district but for the entire state.
