Mizoram Records Highest HIV Adult Prevalence in India at 2.73 Percent, Nagaland Follows at 1.37 Percent

Aizawl/Kohima, Feb 25 (NationPress) The HIV/AIDS adult (15 to 49 years) prevalence rate in two northeastern states -- Mizoram and Nagaland is significantly higher than the national prevalence rate of 0.20 percent, officials stated on Tuesday.

As per the data from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate in Mizoram stands at 2.73 percent while in Nagaland it is 1.37 percent.

This prevalence rate in the two northeastern states also surpasses that of the other 33 states and Union Territories.

According to the NACO data, following Mizoram and Nagaland, the HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rates in four other northeastern states -- Manipur (0.87 percent), Meghalaya (0.43 percent), Tripura (0.37 percent), and Arunachal Pradesh (0.25 percent) are also above the national average of 0.20 percent.

In contrast, the prevalence rates in Sikkim (0.11 percent) and Assam (0.13 percent) are below the national average.

With Mizoram recording the highest prevalence rate in the country at 2.73 percent, the state's Health Minister Lalrinpuii referred to the situation as alarming during a meeting of the Mizoram Legislative Forum on AIDS, urging lawmakers for more robust action against the epidemic.

The Mizoram Legislative Forum on AIDS is a high-level body of legislators dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS and raising public awareness.

The Minister highlighted that Mizoram's infection rate is considerably above the national average of 0.20 percent, necessitating urgent measures to address this trend.

She emphasized the necessity of regular blood testing and strict compliance with Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) to ensure good health.

Lalrinpuii also advocated for the effective use of Drop-in Centres to assist individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) Project Director Jane R. Ralte provided an overview of the state's HIV situation.

As of January this year, a total of 32,287 individuals in Mizoram have tested positive for HIV, with 5,511 reported deaths.

From April 2024 to January 2025, 1,769 new cases were identified, with 67 percent attributed to unprotected sex and 30.44 percent linked to sharing unsterilized syringes.

Despite the alarming prevalence rate, Mizoram has begun to witness some positive trends, including a decline in new infections and a marked reduction in HIV-related deaths.

The MLAs present at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing the fight against HIV/AIDS and agreed to allocate Rs 50,000 each from their local area funds for 2024-2025.

This funding will be directed to MSACS to guarantee uninterrupted access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for those living with HIV/AIDS.

In Nagaland, the Economic Survey 2023-24 indicated that a total of 26,419 HIV-positive patients were registered at the Antiretroviral Therapy Centre (ARTC), with 21,110 currently receiving ART, and 3,116 reported deaths among ART patients.

The survey also noted that 6,205 males, 6,332 females, 12 transgender/transsexual individuals, and 748 children, including 370 girls, living with HIV are on ART.

According to the recent India HIV Estimates report, approximately 25,44,364 individuals in India are living with HIV. However, due to sustained efforts, the adult HIV prevalence stands at 0.2 percent, with an estimated annual new infection rate of around 66,400.

New annual HIV infections have decreased by 44 percent since 2010, surpassing the global reduction rate of 39 percent.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujitchakrabortyne@gmail.com)