163 HIV, hepatitis cases detected at Kapurthala centre in 3 months
The Kapurthala police seized around 1,500 injections in the past one year along with banned substances from drug peddlers.
As many as 163 HIV positive and hepatitis-C patients, most of them below 35 years of age, have been detected at the district de-addiction centre in the past three months.
According to sources, 122 cases were detected in the past two months. The centre recorded 1,953 patients in the OPD and 270 patients for indoor treatment in the past three months.
A doctor at the de-addiction centre said people, who inject drugs are at the risk of contracting HIV 28 times higher than people taking other forms of drugs.
De-addiction centre in-charge Dr Sandeep Bhola said HIV and hepatitis-C cases are on the rise in recent years as most of the drug addicts share syringes for administering drugs. Currently, one HIV and 16 HCV patients are admitted and taking treatment at the centre, he added.
The Kapurthala police seized around 1,500 injections in the past one year along with banned substances from drug peddlers. Meanwhile, health officials revealed that 90% patients at the de-addiction centre are hooked to heroin while remaining 10% are taking other forms of opioid intravenous drugs.