Mizoram has seen a record number of HIV cases with 2.73% of prevalence in India. It is the highest number in the country. A study shows that more than 250,000 people live with HIV in India. Among all the states, Mizoram alone witnessed more than 30,000 HIV cases for the first time, followed by Nagaland, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana with the highest burden of HIV in the adult population.
Over the last decade, the Northeastern state alone witnessed the highest number of cases in a rising trend. This number continues to rise due to prisoners who were convicted of drug cases, with a record 21 percent. There are several reasons behind the current situation of HIV, including sharing of needles and syringes leading to nearly 39 percent of the new HIV infections, sex partners, and others.
The state government is concerned about these cases as they affect the state population. While targeting eradication, national AIDS control organisations with the government spontaneously work to provide all the facilities and testing centres. State officials also allocated amounts from MLA funds to ensure uninterrupted access to ART treatment for HIV-positive individuals.
In the recent update, a minister from the Mizoram government stated that more than 60 percent of cases were attributed to unprotected sexual activity, while nearly 30 percent were linked to the use of unsterilised syringes.
“More than 32,287 individuals in Mizoram have tested positive for HIV, with 5,511 reported deaths, as of January 2025,” he added.
How can HIV self-testing help?
Self-testing services are now increasing in the state. The health minister ensured that the self-testing kit is more useful as it helps individuals to do check-ups in their home. This trend is popular in another country and has been successfully implemented, and Mizoram is hoping to fight against HIV by getting HIV self-testing, the ministry stated. A study done by the Indian Council of Research-National Institute of Translational Virology and AIDS Research collaboration with Mizoram University has highlighted how HIV self-testing helped many young people get tested for the first time.
Also Read: https://theglobalic.com/2025/02/22/mizoram-to-launch-cashless-health-care-scheme/
