Shillong: While the national HIV prevalence in India is low at 0.21%, Meghalaya’s adult HIV prevalence stands at 0.42%, significantly higher than the national average. As of June 2024, the total number of people living with HIV in the state is 9,130, according to Dr. Beth Decruse, Project Director (PD) of the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS).
Dr. Decruse shared this information on Monday during the launch of the Intensified IEC Campaign 2024 at U Soso Tham Auditorium in Shillong. She further informed that out of the total number of HIV-positive individuals, 8,354 have started ART treatment, with 6,250 still alive and continuing their treatment. Between April 2023 and March 2024, there were 1,524 new HIV infections reported in the state.
Dr. Decruse attributed the rise in reported cases to integrated health camps organized in hotspot districts such as East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, and East Khasi Hills. These free health camps provided an opportunity for people to voluntarily come forward and get tested, leading to the detection of more cases.
The launch of the Intensified Information Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign 2024 coincided with International Youth Day 2024, and saw the participation of numerous school and college students. Health Minister Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh officially launched the campaign, which will run for two months with the goal of spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS. Under the theme ‘From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,’ MACS aims to use various platforms, including social media, to enhance knowledge and understanding of HIV, promote safe practices, reduce stigma, and increase demand for HIV/STI services.
In her speech, Dr. Lyngdoh emphasized the importance of conducting more tests to detect HIV/AIDS cases in Meghalaya. She also expressed hope that the campaign would help reduce the stigma associated with HIV in society.
According to the National Family Health Survey 2021, comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS among the people of Meghalaya is only 16% among females and 17% among males. Dr. Decruse highlighted that these figures underscore the urgent need for intensified efforts to combat HIV and STI epidemics.
During the event, Dr. Lyngdoh also launched the HEP Care Project, an initiative focused on the rapid elimination of hepatitis. This program, designed to meet the unique needs of people who inject drugs, aims to screen all individuals registered with Targeted Interventions (TI) and Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) services under MACS.
Dr. K. Kaur, HEP-FIND Project Leader, explained that 50 peer navigators would be recruited to help connect those who test positive with the necessary treatment. These navigators will work similarly to peer supporters under the National Program, ensuring that individuals receive the care they need.
“We will leverage the state’s existing resources and address gaps in linkage to treatment. Our goal is to link at least 70% of those who test positive under this program to public sector treatment,” Dr. Kaur said.
However, Dr. Kaur noted that baseline investigations, crucial for initiating treatment, are not currently free in Meghalaya. She urged the government to find a way to make these tests accessible to people who inject drugs, which would smoothen the linkage process and strengthen the project’s impact.
“FIND is committed to supporting the baseline investigations for the first 500 people who inject drugs who will be screened under the HEP Care program,” Dr. Kaur added.
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