Monday, March 13 2006 13:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir has 745 HIV positive cases so far of which 95 are full-blown AIDS cases, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad informed the Assembly today (Mar 13 2006).

There have been 745 confirmed HIV positive cases reported from voluntary counselling and testing centres (VCTCS) in various regional/district hospitals, Azad said in a written reply to a question put by Kanta Andotra of the Congress.

Of these, 95 were full-blown AIDS cases, Azad said, adding that information regarding deaths from the disease in the last two years was being collected.

The Chief Minister said that testing as well as counselling was being provided free of cost at VCTCS.

All HIV/AIDS patients are being provided free medicines for opportunistic infections at government medical colleges in Jammu and Srinagar and the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS), he said, adding that till date 191 such patients have been provided free treatment.

The Chief Minister said that as per National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) guidelines, the qualification for the appointment of Project Director/Additional Project Director is either a senior IAS officer with an experience of district collector or an officer of the rank of Director from state health department.

The Chief Minister also said that 158 registered private nursing homes and clinics were functioning in the state.

Besides, 84 nursing homes and clinical establishments in Jammu division have applied for registration, he said.