WB pats HP for focused AIDS programme

Himachal Pradesh has been praised by the World Bank for running 'effective and focused' programmes to check HIV/AIDS in the state, which has witnessed a surge in the number of positive cases in the last three years.

A six-member team of the World Bank, which had toured the state recently, assessed the HIV/AIDS control measures in different parts of the state and praised the state Government for running 'effective and focused' programmes in this direction, Director Health Sulakshna Puri said.

The state has also won accolade from National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in this regard, Puri, who is also the Project director of the State AIDS control society, said.

Particularly impressed with the transparency in financial monitoring of the AIDS programmes in HP, the NACO said the tiny Himalayan state should serve as a 'pilot site' for other states, she added.

While there were 530 cases of HIV positive in the state in 2006-07, it rose to 590 in 2007-08, to 770 in 2008-09 and to 249 in between April to July, 2009, Health Minister Rajeev Bindal had said in the state assembly last week.

The minister had said the first case of AIDS came to light in the state in 1952 and since then 60 people have died due to the deadly disease.