CM Pema Khandu voices concern over rising HIV/AIDS cases in Arunachal

Itanagar, Oct 3 (IANS) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday expressed concern over the rising incidence of HIV/AIDS in the Northeastern state.

The Chief Minister on Friday chaired the 3rd State Council on AIDS (SCA) meeting and reviewed the overall HIV/AIDS related situation and ongoing steps to curb the spread of the disease.

State’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Biyuram Wahge and senior officials were present in the meeting held at the CM’s Office, Niti Vihar.

Taking to the social media platform X, CM Khandu wrote: “The spread of HIV-positive cases is a matter of deep concern. It is imperative that we take urgent and effective steps to curb its spread, fight ignorance, and end social ostracism.” He said: “Chaired the 3rd State Council on AIDS (SCA) Meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh State AIDS Control Society today, along with Hon’ble Cabinet colleagues, Hon’ble Advisors, senior officers, NGOs, and CBOs. Our collective resolve is to strengthen awareness, prevention, and care measures to protect every life and build a compassionate, informed society.”

The Chief Minister, in a separate post on X, said: “Chaired the 2nd Meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh Psychoactive Substances Control Authority (APPSCA). The meeting underlined that consumers are victims who need care and support, not punishment. The focus has now shifted towards suppliers and peddlers, the real drivers of this menace.”

“We also discussed the importance of strengthening rehabilitation and counselling facilities, intensifying the crackdown on the supply chain, and building a community-driven movement for a drug-free Arunachal,” Khandu added.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Biyuram Wahge, after the SCA meeting, said that containing the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state is a matter of utmost importance.

Recent data shows HIV/AIDS transmission through infected needles (66.55 per cent) is higher than through unprotected sex (30.55 per cent), underlining the urgent need to tackle drug abuse alongside HIV prevention, he said.

The Minister said that Friday’s meeting resolved to strengthen awareness on HIV and substance abuse, intensify Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, and build a united and multi-sectoral response. According to the data of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate is 2.73 per cent in Mizoram and 1.37 per cent in Nagaland. The HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate in the two Northeastern states (Mizoram and Nagaland) is also much higher than other 35 states and Union Territories.

As per the NACO data, the prevalence rate in four northeastern states — Manipur (0.87 per cent), Meghalaya (0.43 per cent), Tripura (0.37 per cent), and Arunachal Pradesh (0.25 per cent) – is also higher than the national average of 0.20 per cent. Only two northeastern states – Assam (0.13 per cent) and Sikkim (0.11 per cent) — have a prevalence rate less than the national average.

–IANS

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