Sangli figures high on HIV-hit list

SANGLI: The number of HIVpositive persons in Sangli district is feared to be several times higher than the registered cases.
Dr Subhash Salunkhe, state health director general and project-director of Maharashtra AIDS Control Society (MACS), has said.
Speaking at a workshop, organised by the health division of UNICEF and MACS here on Saturday, Salunkhe said that the district is among the areas in the country with a large population of HIV patients.
Salunkhe said that according to studies, the number of HIV patients was normally more in poverty-stricken areas. “However, Sangli does not belong to this category and, therefore, it is surprising to find a large number of HIV cases here,� he added.
Sangli district civil surgeon Dr Dhanpal Ainapure said that a survey conducted showed that there were 70 per cent males and 30 per cent females among the HIV-hit.