Shillong, Sep 6: Former Phulbari Block Committee president of the Indian Youth Congress, Abu Sabir Mandal, has flagged what he calls a brewing medical emergency in West Garo Hills due to rising cases of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
In a petition dated Sunday addressed to the Union Health Minister, Meghalaya Health Minister and officials, Mandal said rapid transmission is being fuelled by rising drug addiction leading to sharing of unsterilised needles, low public hygiene standards and lack of awareness on safe sexual practices.
He alleged that local barber shops and salons maintain dangerously low hygiene. He said while barbers may change razor blades, they repeatedly use the same trimmers and scissors on multiple customers without using warm water, sanitisers or gloves. He said minor nicks and cuts are common during trimming which creates severe risk of blood to blood transmission of HIV and other infections from one customer to the next.
He has urged the government to deploy specialised mobile medical teams across West Garo Hills for village level mass screening. He requested screening at every village, community health centre, primary health centre, government school and panchayat office and community wide outreach using census data to ensure every household is visited and encouraged for testing.
He also sought strict health and safety guidelines for barbers and salons mandating sterilisation of all tools and use of gloves and guaranteed free of cost care, antiretroviral therapy and counselling for those testing positive.
