Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 21
Out of 10, 16, 700 people tested, 22, 878 tested HIV positive (cumulative since 1999) in Nagaland.
At present, the adult HIV prevalence rate in the state of Nagaland stands 0.76%. This shows a declining trend as it was 0.98% in 2007 and 0.90% in 2010.
Nationally, there are 21.1 lakh People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in India as per NACO M&E Bulletin, dated December 2017.
This statistic was made available to media persons by the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) during a sensitization and training programme on HIV & AIDS for media personnel organized by NSACS here at its Conference Hall.
On Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) status (Cumulative), the total number registered on ART in Nagaland stands 16, 713 and number of patients started on ART stands at 11, 183.
There is reportedly a decline in the estimated number of HIV positive persons in Nagaland. However there is an increase in the estimated need for ART.
According to age wise sero-positive of HIV general clients (April 2017- January 2018) in Nagaland, age ranging from 25- 34 formed the highest group with 41%, followed by 35-49 at 31%, 15-24 at 15%, 50 at 7% and 14 at 6%.
On route of transmission of HIV (April 2017- January 2018), 91% of transmission of HIV was through the sexual route while 6% was from parent to child. 2% was caused through unknown routes while 1% was through infected syringe & needles. There was 0% of transmission through blood transfusions.
The NSACs meanwhile informed that there are 72 colleges having Red Ribbon Clubs (RRC) in Nagaland, which aims at stigma reduction, enhancing voluntary blood donation among the youth in educational institutions etc. “The Multi Media Campaign which resumed after the gap of two years, was carried out through the district educational campaign and social media platform where a total of 1, 08, 610 youth could be reached,” informed stated NSACS project director Dr. Ngangshimeren in a NSACS newsletter.
With the introduction of HIV Counseling and Testing Services (HCTS) guidelines 2016 by NACO, a new terminology will be used for HIV testing facility viz HCTS Confirmatory Facility and HCTS Screening Facility.
Present status of HCTS facilities in Nagaland comprise of 60 SA- ICTCs, I PPP Model SA- ICTC at CIHSR Dimapur and 10 Mobile ICTCs placed in 10 districts. There are also 65 facility integrated ICTCs. Targeted Intervention (TI) projects are implemented in partnership with NGOs covering all the 11 districts of the state.
There are 45 TI project partners providing services to high risk and bridge population groups; Injecting Drug Users, Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), and Female Sex Workers (FSW), migrants and truckers following the harm reduction approach.
The package of services include a drop-in- centre with recreational activities, needles & syringe exchange programme, condom promotion, clinic with STI management facility, behavior change communication counseling, abscess management, linkage to health care facilities for HIV testing, ART and STI, linkage to social protection schemes and generating enabling environment.
