Mizoram's HIV crisis: Over 32,000 cases, legislators commit to support
Mizoram recorded India's highest HIV prevalence rate at 2.73%, health minister Lalrinpuii urged legislators to take stronger action.
(Representational Image)
Aizawl, Feb 25: With Mizoram recording the highest HIV prevalence rate in India at 2.73 per cent, Health Minister Lalrinpuii on Monday described the situation as a cause for concern and called for stronger action from legislators to tackle the epidemic.
Addressing a meeting of the Mizoram Legislative Forum on AIDS, a high-level committee of legislators tasked with responding to HIV/AIDS, the minister said Mizoram's infection rate was far higher than the national average of 0.2 per cent, necessitating urgent measures.
At the meeting held in Aizawl, MSACS Project Director Dr Jane R Ralte presented an overview of the State's HIV scenario. She said that as of January 2025, a total of 32,287 people in Mizoram had tested positive for HIV, with 5,511 recorded deaths. Between April 2024 and January 2025 alone, 1,769 new cases were detected.
Dr Ralte highlighted that 67 per cent of the new infections recorded during this period were caused by unprotected sex, while 30.44 per cent resulted from the sharing of unsterilised syringes.
Despite the severity of the crisis, she noted that Mizoram has started to see some positive trends, with a decline in new infections and a significant reduction in HIV-related deaths.
During discussions with MLAs and MSACS officials, Health Minister Lalrinpuii stressed the importance of regular blood testing and strict adherence to ART medication to maintain good health. She also called for the effective utilisation of drop-in centres to support people living with HIV.
The legislators, affirming their commitment to strengthening the fight against HIV, agreed to allocate Rs 50,000 each from their MLA funds for 2024-2025. The amount will be handed over to MSACS to ensure that HIV-positive individuals can access uninterrupted ART treatment.