Chandigarh,
2nd May 2017: State AIDS Control Society
launched the 21st Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre in
Chandigarh which would provide free confidential testing for HIV and Syphilis,
in the Transport Area, Sector 26 Chandigarh.
The Centre was
inaugurated by the Sh. Anurag Agarwal, IAS, Health Secretary, Chandigarh
Administration. He appreciated the efforts of the Department and various
partner NGOs in bringing down the HIV prevalence in Chandigarh to a low 0.11%,
far below the National prevalence of 0.27%. He also expressed gratitude to the
partner NGO, Transport Corporation of India Foundation (TCIF) for their
generous contribution and commitment to establish the testing laboratory under
the PPP mode.
The Testing Centre is
strategically located in an area where the “Bridge” Population comprising of
Truckers and Migrants can easily access the testing services. There are about
250 long distance Trucks which visit this halt point. These Truck Drivers and
Attendants travelling more than 800 km. away from home are vulnerable to HIV
and STIs. In Chandigarh, it has been seen that a higher HIV positivity is
present in this section of the society. One Targeted Intervention Project for
Truckers and another for Migrants is being implemented by CSACS through the
TCIF in the hot spot areas of Sector 26, Manimajra, Daria and around. The
Facility of confidential counseling and testing has been established with the
financial and physical support of the TCIF. It is expected that with the
establishment of this Centre, testing of the High Risk Groups leading to early
detection of the disease and early initiation of treatment, would eventually
lead to stoppage of HIV transmission.
Dr. Manish Chandra, Project
Head from TCIF, in response to the request by the Health Secretary announced
that the Laboratory would soon also provide free basic tests to the Community.
It was informed by the
Project Director Chandigarh SACS, Dr. Vanita Gupta that in Chandigarh, easy accesses
to testing services and extensive awareness generation activities have resulted
in larger number of voluntary testing. Testing has increased from 62621 people
tested in 2012 to 112281 people tested in 2016-17. It is important that
vulnerable population knows their HIV status at the earliest so that early
treatment can be started which will not only provide a good quality and
longevity of life to the infected person, but also break the transmission of
HIV.
Other dignitaries who
attended the programme and committed support were the DHS, President Truckers’
Association, the local area Municipal Councilor.
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