Social activists working to prevent the spread of HIV have appealed to the Odisha government to test all returning migrant workers for the disease during their stay in quarantine centres due to the threat of COVID-19 infection.
The Association for Rural Upliftment and National Allegiance (ARUNA), involved in HIV prevention and rehabilitation of HIV-positive persons in Odisha since 1994, has written to the State government regarding it.
According to the organisation, Odisha is now showing declining trend of HIV infection. To strengthen the continuing fight against it, the present situation of documented return of migrant labourers and their 14 day quarantine can also be used as a tool to fight HIV, said Lokanath Mishra, executive committee member of ARUNA.
Past studies have revealed that most HIV positive persons in Odisha are migrant workers especially the single-male migrants. According to Mr. Mishra, , till now it has been a challenge for Odisha State AIDS Control Society and its partner bodies to test migrant workers for HIV.
Ganjam most affected
In Ganjam district, the most AIDS prone region of Odisha, HIV screening of most migrant workers has not been possible. Majority of HIV positive cases of Ganjam district are migrant workers working in textile mills of Surat in Gujarat. Large numbers of these migrant labourers are left out from HIV tests.
In next few weeks a huge number of migrant workers will return back from different States to Odisha including Ganjam. As per order of the State government all of them will have to undergo quarantine for 14 days for COVID-19 threat. ARUNA feels it is an opportunity to screen large number of these migrant workers, who are also vulnerable to HIV infection.
“If taken up, this large scale screening of high risk population for HIV in Odisha will set an example before the entire country. It will also significantly reduce further spread of HIV during this critical period of spread of COVID-19,” said Mr Mishra.