Railways' Mumbai Division has 268 AIDS/HIV-infected employees
New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) The government today said a total of 268 employees in Central Railway, Mumbai Division have been found infected with HIV virus and 126 of them belong to Group 'D' employees.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Railways R Velu said 141 of the HIV infected employees belonged to Group 'C' and just one employee to Group 'B'.
No Railway officer in the Group 'A' category in Central Railway, Mumbai Division was found infected with the HIV virus.
In Western Railway, Mumbai Division also, the maxiumum number of employees found infected with HIV virus belonged to Group 'D'.
With regard to the preventive and remedial measures, the Minister said HIV testing facilities are available in Mumbai Division in both Central and Western Railways.
HIV testing is done in accordance with the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) guidelines for pre- and post-test counselling.
Voluntary counselling and testing centres are operating at Jagjivan Ram Hospital, Western Railway, and Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, Byculla in Central Railway.
Mr Velu said all eligible AIDS patients in Mumbai Division of Central and Western railways are being provided free anti-retroviral treatment while Medical Officers have been identified to interact with and follow up HIV positive employees.
UNI SKS RP GC1453