Increase in new HIV infections in Meghalaya

Shillong: Meghalaya is one of the states in India that has seen a sharp rise in HIV cases, a health official said.

“The disease prevalence rate among adults in Meghalaya is 0.42 per cent, which is higher than the national average of .21 per cent,” said B Decruse, Project Director, Meghalaya AIDS Control Society.
Decruse said: “The estimated number of people living with HIV is 8,692, of which 4,996 know their status, 3,718 are on Antiretroviral treatment (ART) and 2,356 are virally suppressed.”

Meghalaya Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare – Sampath Kumar said: “We need to be proactive in our support to bring about a change in attitude towards HIV and people living with HIV.””Issues and challenges related to stigma and discrimination must be addressed by all communities to ensure equality,” Kumar added.

Expressing concern over teenage pregnancy in Meghalaya and the risk of youth contracting this disease, Kumar urged all communities to do more to protect youth from the dangerous disease and other sexually transmitted infections.