People are falling prey to the HIV largely due to drug addiction, multiple use of needles and sexually transmitted disease (STD) infection.
However, more cases of HIV positive due to multiple use of needle have been detected in the districts neighboring Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
This has not only exposed the tall claims of the health authorities but also of the state aids control society of having spent crores of rupees on intensified awareness campaigns against HIV.
It has also raised questions over the claim of drug control department and police tightening noose around chemists involved in selling of injectable drugs to addicts in Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Kurukshetra and Ambala belts.
"Of course, this is an alarming trend. We are doing our best to bring this under control. As far as HIV positive cases are concerned, drug abuse is the main cause of concern. We are in touch with police to nab errant chemists. At the same time, we have written to food and drug control department to intensify strikes on drug stores to check illegal sale of drugs,” said Dr Narveer Singh, director general of health services (DGHS) Haryana, who also holds the charge of project director of Haryana Aids Control Society (HACS).
He said for STD cases, they have already roped in an NGO, adding that otherwise, the cities have shown a downward trend in urban areas.
When contacted, some of the headmen in rural belts admitted to the loss due to drug addiction and assured of strict measures. "Panchayats do take initiatives. We do not have any such case in our village so far. We are also taking additional measures to prevent HIV from spreading,” Jai Singh, former sarpanch of a village in Naraingarh sub-division, Ambala, said.