Guwahati: Health officials in Assam's Dhubri district kicked off a month-long emergency campaign on July 8. They aim to halt a dangerous spread of HIV and Hepatitis-B and C. The surge tracks back to rising injectable drug use among local youth. Officials are now mapping high-risk areas and providing immediate medical care.
The Assam State AIDS Control Society teamed up with the District Health Society to handle the crisis. Teams are currently running mass screenings across the district. They want to connect addicts with Antiretroviral Therapy and rehabilitation services. Many of the infected are aged 16 to 23.
Joint Director of Health Services Jyoti Kumar Das confirmed the grim findings. Needles are the primary culprit. "We have found many drug addicts and injectable drug users in the district. Among them, several are HIV positive, while others have been diagnosed with Hepatitis-B and Hepatitis-C. The situation has become a matter of serious concern," Das said.
Sharing dirty needles remains the primary driver of transmission. Health workers are gathering data on patients to track their recovery and stop the diseases from spreading further. The district administration asked the public to cooperate with screening teams. They hope this intervention keeps the outbreak from spiraling out of control.
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