Govt initiates statewide screening to prevent the spread of HIV and Hepatitis B

In line with the principles of health and ‘Rangla Punjab,’ Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s government has initiated state-wide screening to prevent the spread of HIV and Hepatitis B and C. The decision follows encouraging results from inmates of prisons, de-addiction, and rehabilitation centers, as disclosed by Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Tuesday.

Flagging off Mass Awareness Vans under the Jan-Jagrukta-Muhim program for testing, treatment, and counseling of youth prone to HIV, Hepatitis B, and C, based on the increasing cases of HIV/AIDS across the state, particularly in Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Muktsar, and Moga from Dr. B R Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali, he said that the screening is a must to prevent the rest of the society from being infected with HIV. The screening and awareness program have been launched under the aegis of the Punjab State AIDS Control Society in coordination with the National AIDS Control Organisation.

The five vans launched today would cover 750 villages in the initial stage for a month, said the Health Minister, adding that the vans, equipped with LEDs, would show awareness films on the prohibition of sharing syringes and unprotected sexual relationships, besides playing Nukkad Nataks. Each van also has a lab technician and a counselor for free testing of HIV/AIDS.

Making an appeal to the residents to come forward voluntarily to these vans and get tested against the infection of HIV/AIDS to be safe and keep their families secure from the infection.
He further said that Punjab has 62,044 HIV patients registered with ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) Centers besides 115 Integrated Counselling and Testing Centers for testing and preventing HIV.

Emphasizing the testing of HIV, Hepatitis B, and C before marriage, he said that this would pave the way for post-marriage life. He mentioned that hepatitis B and C are curable, while HIV is controllable by keeping viral load stable, so one should not hesitate to hide his/her disease and go for testing openly to save society and his/her life.

Giving the instance of the campaign launched in the previous days to screen inmates against HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmission Diseases, he said that all the patients have been put on treatment to make them healthy.

He said that Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann is worried about the education and health of the people of the state. That’s why, despite the non-cooperation of the Central Government, he is strengthening the public sector health infrastructure in Punjab. He said that soon, the number of Aam Aadmi Clinics in the state will surpass 800. He said that Punjab would soon emerge as the best state across the country, and the realization of the Dream of Punjab Chief Minister to make the state as ‘Rangla Punjab’ will be achieved at all costs. He was accompanied by Special Secretary, Health, and Project Director Punjab State AIDS Control Society, Verinder Kumar Sharma, and Additional Project Director Dr. Bobby Gulati.