JHAPA: Twenty-one HIV patients have been identified in Jhapa, alone, in the last 9 months, an organisation informed here, today.

Night Chess Club, an organisation working in the field of HIV/AIDS in Kakarvitta that, it was revealed after a blood check-up campaign over the last nine months in two municipalities and 11 VDCs in the district.

According to them, the blood sample of 2400 out of 2700 people, who had

been to the foreign land for employment, was checked from February to October. The Club had identified 21 infected people in the last 9 months that would add to 35 detected earlier. The Club also informed that among 12 among the infected were sent to Dharan for anti-viral treatment.

Meanwhile, District Public Health Office (DPHO) reports that 167 HIV patients were identified till Ashadh of the last fiscal year. Besides,

the government agencies, nearly 24 non-governmental organisations have been working in the field of HIV/AIDS in Jhapa. However, due to lack of coordination among them, the data has failed to give the exact scenario. “We have not been able to coordinate due to technical problems”, said Hemraj Sedhai, a staffer at the District Development Committee.