Morung Express News
Kohima | November 30
Has Nagaland done enough to curb the HIV and AIDS epidemic?
This was the question posed by Ketho Angami, General Secretary of NNagaDAO during the state level dialogue on the eve of World AIDS Day – a prelude, through a webinar on November 30.
It was pointed out that Nagaland has the second highest adult HIV prevalence rate in India at 1.45%. The adult HIV prevalence rate in the State is seven times the national average and HIV incidence is 16 times that of the national average. Meanwhile 91% of the HIV cases in the state are through the sexual route of transmission. Pointing to these worrying figures, Angami asserted “we still have a lot to do.”
The programme was jointly organised by NNP+, KNP Foundation, NNagaDAO, ARK Foundation and the Nagaland Press Association (NPA). It was moderated by Vincent Belho, General Manager, FPAI.
Speaking on the theme ‘Nothing about is without us’ Lanu Aier, President, NNP+ said that any policy or decision relating to HIV and AIDS should be made with meaningful and greater involvement of people who are infected and affected by it.
“With the experience and knowledge of the community members much more can be achieved and can significantly contribute towards achieving the target 3/95,” he stated. Aier appealed to the government and various development partners, policy makers and stakeholders to make deliberate investments in HIV prevention interventions, invest in gender equality for effective empowerment of PLHIV and the communities, and increase and sustain domestic financing for HIV prevention and treatment.
He further called for repeal and review of unfavourable laws and policies that continue to criminalise HIV communities and take decisive steps to invest in evidence based interventions that reduce stigma and discrimination.
Dr Joyce Z Angami from the Society for the Welfare of Children affected and infected by HIV and AIDS (SWCABHA) expressed concern on the lack of data and statistics on the number of Children Living with HIV and Children affected by AIDS even though the epidemic reached the state nearly 40 years ago.
Besides the need to ensure availability of ART and proper implementation of child-centric national schemes in all line departments, Dr Angami emphasised that the state should provide a secure place for children and should have trained counsellors to deal with mental and emotional issues.
She said “the need of the hour is enumeration of children infected and affected by HIV/AIDs” by strategizing broad based plan with pragmatic redressal system backed by political and financial commitment. She called for direct involvement of legislators and NSACS on prioritizing these matters.
The NNagaDAO meanwhile urged the State Government for political leadership towards HIV & AIDS and other health concerns in Nagaland and also recommended immediate implementation of modalities for the Ombudsman and appointment of the officer.
With the disbandment of the LFA, NNagaDAO urged the Government of Nagaland to formulate a new modality to continue engaging the NLA members in the health sector.
Angami meanwhile asserted that the present COVID-19 pandemic should “not put a 5 decade year old health crises in the cupboard,” and maintained that “it is time to re-strategise and shift our focus to working where the need is, before this epidemic becomes another pandemic.”
