Nine drug users sharing syringes found HIV positive at Valanchery in Kerala’s Malappuram-OxBig News Network

Illustration by Satheesh Vellinezhi

In a shocking revelation, nine persons who shared syringes for infusing drugs have been found to be carriers of HIV at Valanchery in Malappuram district of Kerala. Health authorities confirmed that three out of them were migrant workers from other States.

A study conducted by the Health department after the Kerala AIDS Control Society had found a fresh HIV positive case at Valanchery in January 2025 unravelled the finding that eight others who shared syringes with that person had contracted HIV.

District Medical Officer (DMO) R. Renuka warned of a potential surge in HIV cases among drug users, citing the vulnerability of this group to contract and spread the AIDS virus. Dr. Renuka’s concerns come after it was found that all the nine individuals diagnosed with HIV at Valanchery were drug users.

Targeted surveillance

Following the discovery of the HIV positive case at Valanchery in January, the Health department had launched a targeted surveillance initiative, focussing on drug users and sex workers in the region.

Confirming the fears of the health authorities, the nine individuals who shared syringes for drug use now tested positive for HIV. Several of them are married, raising concerns that the virus may spread to their spouses.