Mizoram battles high HIV rates with 16217 cases, significant efforts in place

A meeting of the Mizoram State Council on AIDS held on Monday at CM Conference Hall stated that Mizoram has 16217 HIV positives, with 5021 HIV deaths recorded in the state.

Dr. Lalthlengliani, Project Director, of Mizoram State Aids Control Society (MSACS) gave a detailed report of Mizoram’s HIV/AIDS status wherein she reported that MSACS currently has a record of 16217 HIV positives taking ART and 500 among them are from other states. She also reported that there are 633 people tested positive but who refused to take the ART.

The meeting also highlighted that 5021 people in Mizoram have lost their lives due to HIV/AIDS. MSACS has ICTC and ART in all the districts of Mizoram.

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According to the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) estimate, Mizoram has 2.73 % state wise Adult HIV Prevalence in 2023 which is much higher than the national level of 0.2%. It is reported that this high prevalence rate of HIV in Mizoram is due to late peak level of detection, which happened only in 2017, as compared to other States which recorded a peak level way back in 2005.

After the peak level in 2017, the number of HIV positives detected in the State has declined.

The Mizoram State Council on AIDS reported that HIV-positive mothers can protect their babies from HIV during pregnancy and that they are working hard to eradicate the spread of the virus from a pregnant mother to an unborn child. They reported that in 2023, only two babies contracted the virus from 120 HIV-positive mothers giving birth; and that in order for this initiative to be successful, the status of pregnant women needs to be known quickly.

MSACS staff believe that if the HIV/AIDS fighting campaign continues properly, the spread of HIV/AIDS can be curbed.