Our Correspondent
New Delhi, July 13:
Tripura, a northeastern state of India, has become a significant hotspot for AIDS, grappling with a rise in HIV infections, particularly among its student population, exacerbated by injectable drug use.
The Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) reported that at least 1,790 individuals tested positive for HIV/AIDS in the 2023-24 period, with a positivity rate of 0.92%. The state records more than 1,500 cases annually, painting a grim picture of the ongoing crisis.
As part of the National AIDS Control Programme, the government has implemented various measures to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. TSACS Project Director Samarpita Dutta highlighted that 67 people, including two students, died in 2022-23. In 2023-24, the number of deaths stood at 44. During 2022-23, 1,847 new HIV/AIDS cases were detected, with a positivity rate of 0.89%.
Dutta noted that the National AIDS Control Programme has been active in Tripura since April 1999. Between April 2007 and May 2024, 828 students registered as people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), and 47 of them died over the 17-year period.
“TSACS has implemented all necessary initiatives to control the situation, adhering to the guidelines and action plans designed by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO),” Dutta stated. She added that the 828 students registered in antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres are receiving free treatment in line with NACO guidelines.
HIV transmission occurs through the exchange of body fluids, such as blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal secretions, and can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy and delivery. However, HIV cannot be contracted through ordinary daily contact, such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food, or water.
Chief Minister Manik Saha, who has a medical background as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, emphasized the state government’s measures to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. He addressed concerns stemming from recent media reports about the number of infected students and fatalities, clarifying that 828 students in Tripura have tested positive for HIV, with 47 fatalities recorded from April 2007 to May 2024.
“All affected students are receiving or have received free antiretroviral treatment as per NACO guidelines,” Saha said in a post on social media platform X.
