Ranchi, June 8: At 6 am, truckers plying on the quiet Gumla-Jashpur state highway were in for a surprise. Squads of Rotary Club, Gumla chapter members stopped them at a petrol pump at Karondi, 4 km off Gumla town. The truck drivers were asked to get off their vehicles while a Ranchi-based doctor quickly collected their blood samples and handed them over to two waiting laboratory technicians for an HIV test.

From 6 am till 2 pm, 200 truckers were tested for the disease. While a minority willingly submitted to the tests, most reacted violently at being disturbed early in the morning. However, frayed nerves were calmed after the organisers convinced them that the drive was “solely in their own interest”.

However, at the close of the campaign in the afternoon, the test results rattled the organisers. Of the 200 truckers, whose blood samples were collected, four tested HIV positive giving an overall figure of 2 per cent, which they conceded was quite high given the small group tested.

However, barring minor details, organisers refused to divulge the identities of the four truckers, who tested positive today. While one of them was from Muzaffarpur, three other “victims” were from Samastipur (Bihar), Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) and Ahmadnagar (Maharashtra) respectively.

The organisers said identity profiles of the truckers, who tested HIV positive today, would be sent to the district magistrates of their native districts.

They added that the purpose of informing the district magistrates was to help them launch “proper remedial action and ensure safety of the families of the truck-drivers.”

The campaign, part of an international Rotary drive against HIV/AIDS was conducted following an initiative taken by the Gumla-based Rotary Club. Rotary president Ramji Gupta said test kits were donated by the Rotary Club of Los Gators, California, USA while a doctor along with two laboratory technicians were ferried from Ranchi for the campaign.

Gupta added that the tests, which included HIV and blood sugar, would have cost Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 per person. But they were performed free of cost.

Expressing grave concern over the high percentage of trucks from outside passing through Gumla, ex-MLA and former president, Rotary Club, Gumla, Bernard Minj, demanded that the tests should be made compulsory for all truckers and drivers of heavy vehicles at the time of the renewal of their driving licenses.

Sources said the incidence of HIV/AIDS among truck-drivers was high in the state because of the numerous state and national highways which criss-crossed the mineral rich industrial districts. On an average, over 2,000 trucks ferried goods and minerals from different districts of Jharkhand to the neighbouring states.

Tribal girls were lured into commercial sex trade on the highway for quick money.