photo: Dr.C.M.SharmaGangtok: In the total population of little over 6 lakhs in this tiny Himalayan State Sikkim, about 16 patients have been reported to have been full blown AIDS and 72 persons are infected with HIV. This was disclosed by Dr. C.M. Sharma while talking to our correspondent on July 1 at a health and hygiene programme organized by Shri Sathya Sai Seva organization, Tadong Samiti at Durga Mandir Tadong. This data, Dr. Sharma said, is based on the recent survey report carried out in only 10 thousands persons and in the population of 6 lakhs, the rate of infected patients with HIV/AIDS might be proportionately in alarming number. While Dr. Sharma dwelling on health and hygiene condition of the people of hill area, expressed that most of the hill people suffer due to gastrointestinal problem, which may be due to silica or mica present in the water, the research is yet not final, he added. While highlighting the general habit and negligence on health of the people in hill area, Shri Santosh Rai, a health educator and another speaker on the occasion said that the people of village area have to be sensitized about the sexually transmitted diseases and vulnerable cases of AIDS and HIV in their own language but not in medical term. The fear or concern of social shamefulness and orthodox attitude to talk on sex education will be great hurdle to intervene the globally concern of this dreaded diseases, he added.
Talking in village language frankly on sexual disease will help them quickly understand the cause of this dreadful disease and get rid of it. He further expressed that the younger generation is fully misguided today as a result they have become the prey of the drug peddlers. The drug and substance abuse in Sikkim is increasing by leaps and bounds which is a major concern today, he added. Another risky behavior present in the people are heterogeneous sexual activities and unsafe sexual behavior. The prostitution and unsafe sexual behavior, he said, is booming in the hill state too, as a result, the number of HIV and AIDS patients are definitely in alarming rate here today, he added.The students, parents and other devotees were present in the programme.
Talking in village language frankly on sexual disease will help them quickly understand the cause of this dreadful disease and get rid of it. He further expressed that the younger generation is fully misguided today as a result they have become the prey of the drug peddlers. The drug and substance abuse in Sikkim is increasing by leaps and bounds which is a major concern today, he added. Another risky behavior present in the people are heterogeneous sexual activities and unsafe sexual behavior. The prostitution and unsafe sexual behavior, he said, is booming in the hill state too, as a result, the number of HIV and AIDS patients are definitely in alarming rate here today, he added.The students, parents and other devotees were present in the programme.(Himgiri Nepali)
