Sudden increase of AIDS cases in Gujarat/Rajasthan border areas

“As per reports received from Gujarat and Rajasthan, there is an increase in the number of AIDS patients along the border of Rajasthan and Gujarat,” central Health minister Gulam Nabi Azad said during ongoing session of parliament in Delhi.

Azad was replying to question by Rajasthan MP O.P.Mathur: “whether it is a fact that the number of AIDS patients has increased suddenly during the last five years along Rajasthan`s border with Gujarat particularly in Banswara and Dungarpur districts.”

Central Health Minister while agreeing to the fact that “there is an increase in the number of AIDS cases detected in the last five years”, also added “one of the reasons attributed to this increase is scale up of HIV testing facilities in the country including these district.”

The minister also presented detail figures in this regard which are given below:

Number of AIDS patients in border districts of Rajasthan and Gujarat during last five years

Figures till 15th February 2011