Nagas face uphill battle against AIDS

‘One out of every 100 persons in Nagaland is HIV positive’

Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 15

Expressing concern over the high prevalence rate of HIV and substance abuse in Nagaland, Development Authority of Nagaland (DAN) chairman and advisor to Chief Minister Vikho-o Yhoshu said “HIV has percolated down to the general population if we go by the sentinel surveillance report, 1 out of every 100 person in Nagaland has HIV”.

Stating this to be an alarming situation, when there is still no cure for AIDS or vaccine for HIV, he said “The prevalence rate of HIV among Injecting Drug Users have dropped down from 39 % in 1994 to 2.45% in 2007 to which my understanding is, that new infections among IDUs have reduced,”. He was speaking at the first Nagaland Drug Users’ Conference here today at the State Academy hall. Yhoshu complimented the NGOs working in partnership with the government in combating HIV and said the drop shows HIV/AIDS intervention programmes carried out for the drug users, are “effective”.

“It is the responsibility of the government to provide for the people but the government cannot force an individual to avail services and I salute the social workers for facilitating the process,” he said. Yhoshu, however, said just because the prevalence rate amongst drug users has come down to 2.4 per cent, “We cannot be complacent.” And so the need to continue with the successful programme is felt. Yhoshu also urged the Nagaland Users Network to advocate and facilitate the process of bringing in more programmes for those in need of the services. He maintained that “together we can bring about positive changes not only in HIV/AIDS programmes but also in the society; let us do our best.” 

Nobody is born a drug user and nobody ever wants to become an addict, the whole mess of their life started because, they are hoodwinked in drugs”, according to Ch. Anand, member of the NE Drug Users Forum in his keynote address. He expressed dismay at the prevailing discrimination against the drug users’ community and also the lack of initiative on the deadly Hepatitis–C closely associated with drug use. Anand called upon drug users not to wait for others to come forward to advocate their issue but sit together and seriously ponder on working out steps.

Earlier, Abou Mere, convener of the organizing committee pointed out that access to treatment for drug users remains very limited and pointed to the  need for a comprehensive program for drug users ‘without which the chance of staying away from drugs is difficult’. In the afternoon session, resource person Dr.Jyoti Mehra, HIV/AIDS advisor with the UNODC addressed the conference on the topic ‘Rights & Responsibilities’. Neiketu Iralu discoursed on MRA International member on “Spirituality and Recovery”. The conference will be on till November 16.
 



Support The Morung Express.
Your Contributions Matter
Click Here