11 October, 2019 Aizawl: Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on Friday made a clarion call to fight HIV/AIDS in the state. Kicking off an HIV/AIDS sensitisation campaign programme at a function held at chief minister’s conference hall in Aizawl on Friday, Zoramthanga said the present status of Mizoram in HIV/AIDS prevalence is not negligible.
“Mizoram has the dubious distinction of being the highest HIV prevalence state in the country. The deadly disease should be fought on a war footing so that the state register low rate,” he said.
The chief minister said that efforts should be made with renewed vigour to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS and its treatment and prevention.
Earlier, the meeting of Aizawl District AIDS Prevention and Control Committee had decided to launch sensitization programme on AIDS in all government offices within Aizawl city. In the first phase, the sensitisation programme will be launched in 10 selected government offices in Aizawl with chief minister secretariat being the first where the campaign to begin.
MSACS project director Dr. Lalthlengliani said that nearly 2,000 people have died due to AIDS in Mizoram since the first case was detected in October 1990. While the rate of HIV prevalence in the country shows a declining trend, Mizoram, on the other hand, registers growth in the number of people living with HIV positive.
Quoting a report by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) in 2017, the director said that at least 2.04% of Mizoram’s population were found HIV positive against the national average of 0.2%. She said that Mizoram recorded highest HIV prevalence rate in the country, followed by Manipur (1.43 %) and Nagaland (1.15%).
It has been estimated that at least seven people are diagnosed with HIV positive every day in Aizawl alone, she added. Earlier, the meeting of Aizawl District AIDS Prevention and Control Committee had decided to launch sensitization programme on AIDS in all government offices within Aizawl city.
