HIV/AIDS cases rising alarmingly in Mizoram

People taking part in the AIDS awareness rally organized by Assam State Aids Control Society on the occasion of World AIDS Day, in Guwahati on Tuesday, December 1. (Ujjal Deb Photo)

Though the official data reveals that there are about 4000 people living with HIV in Mizoram, it s speculated by NGOs that in the 9 lakh population of Mizoram, about 40, 000 people must be living with HIV. Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla said this during the observation of World AIDS Day in Aizawl today.
The chief minister also tongue lashed the Mizos saying that they are never bother to keep their health well. "Because of this Mizoram tops in the world for the number of cancer patients," Lal Thanhawla said. Meanwhile, World AIDS Day, 2009 was solemnly observed across the state of Mizoram with the apt theme, "Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise:-Universal Access and Human Rights" under the tutelages of Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS).
A mass rally to mark the World AIDS Day was organised which was participated by hundreds of  people this morning in the capital Aizawl.  State chief minister Lal Thanhawla, and Health minister Lalrinliana Sailo and others spoke on the occasion. In his speech the chief minister said, "Instead of teaching ourselves to be more conscious about community, language and religion we should be more conscious about our health."
Giving assurance to the audiences, Lal Thanhawla said that the state health department had come out with various programmes for the improvement of health in the state. He also urged the people of the state to benefit from various health programmes launched in Mizoram so that other states may look Mizoram with envy.  It is worth noting that the first case of AIDS was detected in Mizoram 20 years ago but the trend of HIV positive and AIDS is increasing at an alarming rate.  According to official from Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS), out of the total 3,115 people blood-tested for HIV/AIDS in the state during the month of September, it is found out that additional 100 people have been infected with this dreaded disease. It is also revealed that out of the 100 people, 74 were transmitted through unprotected sex. From October 1990 to September this year, there are 3,803 HIV positive people in Mizoram. Of these, there are 156 patients below 14 years of age, 1,012 from the age group 15-24. While from the age group 25-34, there are 1,517 and from the age group 35-49, there are 1,027 HIV positive people in Mizoram.

 

 

Guwahati, December 1 (Agencies): Thousands of people in India’s northeast, whose large number of drug users have sparked fears of a worsening AIDS epidemic, pledged Tuesday to step up the fight against HIV by spreading awareness about it. Schoolchildren, health workers, people living with HIV/AIDS and rehabilitated drug addicts marched through key streets in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura to mark World AIDS Day.
“The slogan this year is Universal Access and Human Rights, highlighting the need for easy availability of medicines for people living with the virus. We are committed to catering to the basic needs and ensuring access to drugs,” Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
“We in Assam are committed to carrying out the theme of the World AIDS Day in letter and spirit,” Sarma said.  Some 2.5 million Indians are HIV positive of which the northeast accounts about 45,000.
“There is a need to make available anti-retroviral drugs more easily. We need more anti-retroviral treatment (ART) centres in Assam,” said Jahnabi Goswami, president of the Indian Network of Positive People. 
“We have to step up the fight against HIV/AIDS and the biggest challenge is to detect some 5,000 people in Assam who could be HIV positive but still not registered,” the minister said.  Assam has about 4,000 registered HIV positive people.
While the northeastern states have a total of about 45,000 HIV-positive people, authorities fear the disease may spread because of the region’s acute drug problem. 

 

 

Newmai News Network:
Imphal | December 1
Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat felt that religious leaders, politicians, students and NGOs can play a vital role in containing the menace of dreaded HIV/AIDS in Manipur. The Governor while speaking during the World AIDS Day observation in Imphal on Tuesday said that the HIV/AIDS has become a global menace and the efforts from religious leaders, political parties, students community and NGOs are the needs of the moment to fight the menace.
Manipur State AIDS Control Society today observed the World AIDS Day at 1st Manipur Rifles Ground at 10:00 am, under the theme, Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise ‘Universal Access and Human Rights’.
Manipur Chief Minister, O. Ibobi Singh, state Governor of Manipur, Gurbachan Jagat, minister of Health and Welfare, P. Parijat Singh and  Speaker Manipur Legislative Assembly, S. Budhichandra Singh were present to grace function as the president, chief guest and guests of honour respectively.
As the chief guest at the function,  Gurbachan Jagat said HIV/AIDS has become a global menace which is hampering the health and future of the young people in the state. He appealed to all sections of the people to extend their fullest cooperation in order to reinforce the government efforts against the prevention of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has emerged as a new and serious public emergency in Manipur. The first HIV positive case in the state was reported in February, 1990 from the blood sample of October 1989 among a cluster of Injecting Drug Users.
The majority of new infection occurs in the most sexually active and highly production age group of 15-49 years. According to the blood sample tested in the month of September, 2009, 8701 females reported to be HIV positives and the number of death record in this connection has come up to 625 so far. Manipur became the first state in India to have AIDS policy, which was implemented as the AIDS Control Programmed in March, 1998.
Chief Minister, O. Ibobi stated HIV/AIDS is one of the main problem in Manipur. He also stated that the government will be taking up steps to control this problem for better generation in the future.