11,130 AIDS patients in K'taka: Minister

Bangalore, July 23 (UNI) There are 11,130 persons living with the deadly HIV/AIDS in Karnataka, state Health Minister R Ashok informed the Legislative Council today.

In his written reply to Mr D Madegowda (Cong), the minister said the government had taken measures to create awareness among the people on the disease, for which an effective drug was yet to be developed.

As many as 16 Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres have been opened in various places and another 23 centres would be set up, he said.

Udupi district topped the list of AIDS patients with 1812, followed by Dakshina Kannada (1748), Belgaum (1664), Bangalore Urban (1550), Davanagere (1017), Dharwad (749), Gulbarga (556) and Mysore (318).

Districts of Kodagu (11), Chamarajanagar (13), Bidar (25), Bijapur (28) and Hassan (39) recorded the least number of AIDS cases, he added.

UNI