M.O. i/c ART Centre District Hospital Dimapur, Dr. Hutoka and Naga Council president Savi Liegise speaking at Signal Angami Basti on Saturday. (Morung Photos)
Dimapur | November 5 : The prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS in the state stands at an alarming 78 % i.e., 7 to 8 persons out of every 1000 people is infected with the disease as compared to the national average where only 3 to 4 persons out of every 1000 people is infected.
Disclosing this during a sensitization programme on HIV and AIDS held at Signal Angami Basti, Saturday, Dr. Hutoka M.O. i/c ART Centre District Hospital Dimapur also put the number of persons detected with the disease to 12, 400 in the state. He, however, said only 7,500 persons have been registered as many people were yet to come forward for treatment despite already knowing their status.
He said one of the reasons why the drug administered to the patients has less effect was the late arrival of the patients. Dr. Hutoka encouraged the people to come forward for blood testing and early treatment after detection of the disease. “If they come late then they do not get the full benefits of the drugs,” he said and added that many patients were reporting only towards the later stage of the disease. He said 70 patients came to ART Centre Dimapur last month out of which 48 of them came in very late.
Dr. Hutoka said that there were over 3, 500 people infected with the disease in Dimapur as per record and that only 1,500 were undergoing treatment.
In many instances, it has been found that people who have Tuberculosis were also infected with the disease and vice-versa, Dr. Hutoka said revealing that TB was one of the leading causes of death in HIV patients. He disclosed that 127 people have died of the disease in Dimapur since the establishment of the Anti-Retroviral Therapy Centre at the District Hospital in 2006. He said those who died of the disease were undergoing HIV-attacking medications but came late. Of the 127 deaths, majority of them were within the age group of 25 – 49 and only few were below 4 – 5 years.
Stating that HIV and AIDS infection does not have any age bar, Dr. Hutoka said that a person as old as 75 years was infected with the disease as per record.
Further, he informed that Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) treatment was available 24 hours at the District Hospital Dimapur where any person who have been exposed to the disease could avail the service free of cost. He said the person has to take the medication within 72 hours of exposure to reduce the risk of HIV infection. However, Dr. Hutoka said that for the medication to be most effective, the patient has to begin the treatment within 1 or 2 hours of infection.
Transmission route
Sexual intercourse - 92%
Infected needle - 3%
Mother to child - 4%
Unknown reason (the patient not disclosing the route of infection) - 1%
Age distribution
of infected people
25 – 49 years : 80%
15 – 24 years : 12%
50 years and above : 4%
Below 14 years : 4%
Earlier, President Naga Council, Savi Liegise, who was the guest of honour, lauded the initiative of the Legislators’ Forum on Aids and District Aids Prevention and Controlling Unit (DAPCU) in organizing the sensitization programme. He said the effort should be strengthened for the benefit and awareness of the people. He urged the gathered people to spread the message of the programme to those who could not attend the programme.
A representative of the DNP+ appealed the people to join them in the fight against discrimination of people living with the disease. She said people infected with the disease too have the right to live without any discrimination and called upon the gathering to show love and support to such patients.
DPO, DAPCU, Meyisangla Longkumer spoke on the various services available in Dimapur with regard to HIV and AIDS. She said there were 7 Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres in Dimapur which includes District Hospital, Chumukedima PHC, Medziphema CHC, Niuland, Kuhuboto, Mobile ICTC etc.
Disclosing this during a sensitization programme on HIV and AIDS held at Signal Angami Basti, Saturday, Dr. Hutoka M.O. i/c ART Centre District Hospital Dimapur also put the number of persons detected with the disease to 12, 400 in the state. He, however, said only 7,500 persons have been registered as many people were yet to come forward for treatment despite already knowing their status.
He said one of the reasons why the drug administered to the patients has less effect was the late arrival of the patients. Dr. Hutoka encouraged the people to come forward for blood testing and early treatment after detection of the disease. “If they come late then they do not get the full benefits of the drugs,” he said and added that many patients were reporting only towards the later stage of the disease. He said 70 patients came to ART Centre Dimapur last month out of which 48 of them came in very late.
Dr. Hutoka said that there were over 3, 500 people infected with the disease in Dimapur as per record and that only 1,500 were undergoing treatment.
In many instances, it has been found that people who have Tuberculosis were also infected with the disease and vice-versa, Dr. Hutoka said revealing that TB was one of the leading causes of death in HIV patients. He disclosed that 127 people have died of the disease in Dimapur since the establishment of the Anti-Retroviral Therapy Centre at the District Hospital in 2006. He said those who died of the disease were undergoing HIV-attacking medications but came late. Of the 127 deaths, majority of them were within the age group of 25 – 49 and only few were below 4 – 5 years.
Stating that HIV and AIDS infection does not have any age bar, Dr. Hutoka said that a person as old as 75 years was infected with the disease as per record.
Further, he informed that Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) treatment was available 24 hours at the District Hospital Dimapur where any person who have been exposed to the disease could avail the service free of cost. He said the person has to take the medication within 72 hours of exposure to reduce the risk of HIV infection. However, Dr. Hutoka said that for the medication to be most effective, the patient has to begin the treatment within 1 or 2 hours of infection.
Transmission route
Sexual intercourse - 92%
Infected needle - 3%
Mother to child - 4%
Unknown reason (the patient not disclosing the route of infection) - 1%
Age distribution
of infected people
25 – 49 years : 80%
15 – 24 years : 12%
50 years and above : 4%
Below 14 years : 4%
Earlier, President Naga Council, Savi Liegise, who was the guest of honour, lauded the initiative of the Legislators’ Forum on Aids and District Aids Prevention and Controlling Unit (DAPCU) in organizing the sensitization programme. He said the effort should be strengthened for the benefit and awareness of the people. He urged the gathered people to spread the message of the programme to those who could not attend the programme.
A representative of the DNP+ appealed the people to join them in the fight against discrimination of people living with the disease. She said people infected with the disease too have the right to live without any discrimination and called upon the gathering to show love and support to such patients.
DPO, DAPCU, Meyisangla Longkumer spoke on the various services available in Dimapur with regard to HIV and AIDS. She said there were 7 Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres in Dimapur which includes District Hospital, Chumukedima PHC, Medziphema CHC, Niuland, Kuhuboto, Mobile ICTC etc.
