Visakhapatnam: The prevalence of HIV among the injection drug users (IDU), mostly youngsters in Vizag city is slowly increasing and the youngsters are inching close to their death.
The City Task Force police have revealed that the youngsters in the city, addicted to the drugs and sedatives, have contracted HIV and the cops are chasing the pedlars and taking up counselling to those students addicted to the drugs.
The CTF personnel said that in Vizag city, over 1,000 youngsters, including college students, dropouts and a few others have become habitual to the Fortwin injections, which are said to be most dangerous to the teenagers who have been injecting into their veins.
Most of them take precaution of using new needles or syringes but some due to lack of money use the unhygienic and used needles. The prevalence of HIV among the injection drug users in Vizag city is over 4 per cent and the number could be more as a few come out open,’’ said a police officer of CTF.
ACP (Task Force) I. Chittibabu said that youngsters in the city are addicted to the injection drugs and other sedatives such as Alprazolam and nitrosun tablets and various types of cough syrups just for fun and some are contracting HIV for not taking precautions.
“As police, we have not taken any action against the addicted youth but being brought to the police station for counselling and provide details of those selling them. Unless nipped in the bud, drug usage becomes uncontrollable spoiling lives of youngsters,” he added
The police officials said that they tried to cure the victims by admitting them to hospital for de-addiction programme, but they were not yielding any results as the addicted are returning to their habits within six months or one year.
Though the price of Fortwing injection is around Rs 6, the drug peddlers are selling the injection for Rs 150 depending on the desperation.
Some of the girl students are also using the injections for drowsiness and a kick, said an officials of medical and health department.
