The Darjeeling Hills are a highly vulnerable area with regards to HIV/AIDS. The backwardness of the region leading to high migration, intra-venous drug users, floating sex worker population, awareness focused in urban areas only are cross cutting factors resulting in the vulnerability.
In 1996, under the impetus of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Darjeeling, the Darjeeling AIDS Control Centre (DACC) was established with a few NGOs and Societies working under it. The region’s only Voluntary Confidential Counseling and Testing Centre (VCCTC) started functioning from April 2002. To date, 2480 persons have undergone testing, of which 116 were found to be HIV positive (31st May 2007 VCCTC report)and 60 of them are the members of Shanker Foundation DjNP+. However, experts are skeptical about the accuracy of present data to extrapolate for the entire hills, stating that the actual figure is far more startling.
They point to several compelling factors to support their opinion:
• Very few people opt for testing due to lack of awareness and fear of a social scrutiny. Moreover, although blood donations are screened, donors are not notified of their HIV status.
• Awareness programmes only cater to the urban populace and lack a strong connection to the rural populace of Darjeeling.
• The VCCTC is located in the urban areas with limited access and to the rural population
• The poor economy of the region and massive unemployment has given rise to a large migrant labourer population and sex workers.
• High risk groups such as intra-venous drug users drivers, migrant porters, flying sex workers and labourers, leaving and coming into Darjeeling, have limited access to HIV/AIDS awareness programs.
We also have a large male population in the defense who are away from home for long periods of time
• Most institutions do not impart sex education to pupils, let alone HIV/AIDS awareness
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