HIV transmission trend in Nagaland alarming

Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 20 (EMN): The main route of HIV transmission in Nagaland is through unprotected sexual contact, accounting for over 87%, followed by transmission through infected syringes and needles, and parents to a child.

This was stated by Dr. Bernice D Thapru, Joint director, TI, Nagaland State AIDS Control Society, while highlighting HIV/AIDS scenario in Nagaland at a state-level orientation and sensitisation programme for officials, held in the conference hall of State Prison Headquarters in Kohima, on Wednesday.

From April 2021 to March 2022, among the general clients, 87.87% of HIV transmission was through sexual contact, 5.73% each through syringes and needles, and parents to a child, while 0.67% is unknown or unspecific category, she said.

The age distribution of HIV positive cases among the general clients during the period is 41% in 25 to 34 years age group; 33% in 35 to 49 years; 12% in 15 to 24 years; 8% in 50 and above, and 6% 14 and below years.

The findings from the HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS), Antenatal Clinic (ANC) and prison (district-wise) showed that 75 out of 4666 tests done in 2020-2021 returned positive for HIV (1.61%). In the preceding year (2018-2019), a total of 80 (1.63%) out of 4913 were tested positive for HIV in the state.

At the Central Jail in Dimapur (separate tally), nine out of 196 tested positive for HIV in 2020-21.

Meanwhile, the ART cumulative data, as of June 2022, stands at 10,617 in Nagaland, the official pointed out.

Venedulu, Research Officer, Department of Social Welfare, said the department was started with the sole purpose of implementing welfare programmes, to provide assistance and uplift the disadvantaged group of people in the society including children, women, older persons, youth, persons with disabilities, families in crisis and communities needing assistance.

She also pointed out some of the avenues, including Anganwadi workers, Poshan scheme, PMMVY scheme, family benefit scheme etc. where the department can provide care and support to people living with HIV/AIDS.

She further informed that the department had sent a proposal to the Union Ministry for setting up de-addiction centres in prison settings for Kohima and Dimapur districts and hoping for approval.

Project director of NSACS, Dr. Akuo Shorhie said that the main objective of organising the orientation programme was to sensitise and enhance the knowledge of officials from prisons and other closed settings on the issue of HIV/STI/TB/ viral Hep-C intervention among the incarcerated population.

It envisaged informing on the rollout plan of prison and other closed settings intervention through GFATM (Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) project and developing a roadmap to create an enabling environment within the prisons and other closed settings towards a comprehensive healthcare service delivery.

Drug abuse a severe problem

Addressing the programme, Director General of Prison, Rupin Sharma said that the number of drug abusers is “very high” and is a “severe problem” in the state. In this regard, he recommended a common strategy to address the issue and proposed intervention-cum-correctional facility, where jail staff provides custody, medical facilities by the Health department and intervention by the NGO sectors.

“Throughout the country, including Nagaland, people are not able to distinguish between drug users and traffickers. We need to distinguish between these two categories because users need different medical interventions and traffickers need to be punished,” he said.

He said that for drug users, the department concerned and NGOs can jointly try to recommend a mechanism to the government to be put in place.

Referring to an under trial prisoner (UTP), he said that when a UTP is brought or forwarded by the court to prison, he/she undergoes a medical legal examination. That examination should include a report on whether he/she is a drug user or an abuser (which is not included), he said, adding that it is the first stage of intervention.

He went on to cite an incident about a drug addict prisoner in Mon jail (who was brought for another crime), who showed withdrawal symptoms. He was taken to a hospital instead of an intervention centre as they were unaware of his drug abuse. The person died days later, he added.

“There is a need to intervene with the state government that any UTP forwarded should mandatorily bring a report whether he/ she is a drug addict as that will help prison staff to know how big the person’s problem is. It will help the prison to prepare better intervention strategies,” he said.