Covid pandemic pulls down AIDS care in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: Three waves of Covid-19 has taken the toll on the diagnosis and treatment of the HIV/AIDS in the state. Haryana health department confirmed that the lockdowns and deployment of health teams in the Covid 19 management operations had made time more tougher not just for department but for the HIV positive patients with comorbidities. Haryana saw 4,624 new HIV patients during the year 2019-20 which has now come down to 2,327 in the year 2021-22 (till January31) so far. Meanwhile, health authorities expressed inability to share details about the HIV patients getting infected with Covid 19 as well deaths due to the pandemic. `` The death audit is underway and it shall take time,’’ the officials said, adding that largely these deaths were added in the deaths with comorbidities.

The details provided by the health authorities categorically suggests a sharp decline in the testing over the period of past three years. Though there had been sharp decline in the number of deaths during the year 2020-21, else there had been 757 deaths reported during the year 2019-20. According to the health department, 710 persons have already fallen prey to AIDS till January so far, with authorities expecting the figure to cross a three- year high.

“During lockdown, the basic issue was of movement of patients. There was hardly any facility available for indoor treatment due to hospitals having full occupancy of beds . Rest, had mantained the supply of medicines at patients door step or the arrangements were made so that the medicines reach the patients,’’ said a senior health official.

Referring to low testing, the officials largely blamed the inadequate number of technicians on duty on the account of their deployment in the Covid management as well as the vaccination duties. `` There had been a decline due to manpower crisis. But, at the same time we had ensured that the emergency cases and tests were done on priority basis. During peak days of all the three waves, all the services had come to a standstill,’’ the officials added.