HIV infections on the rise in the state: Assam State AIDS Control Society

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS) stated that the number of HIV infection is on the rising trend in the state. ASACS since its inception has been working for prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS through different phases of National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). At present ASACS is implementing the NACP 5.

Assam is a HIV low prevalence state (0.11 %) when compared to the national prevalence which is 0.20 %. However, the number of HIV infection is on the rising trend in the state. As per NACO HIV Estimation Report 2022, Assam has an estimated number of 30,067 HIV positive cases in the state.

ASACS has taken various steps especially amongst the High Risk Groups (HRG) which includes Injecting Drug Users (IDU), Female Sex Workers (FSW), Man Having Sex with Man (MSM), Singe Male Migrant (SMM), Long Distance Truckers etc. Index Testing (contact or partner tracing of the clients who have tested positive) is being done amongst the high risk and the general population who are at risk. The Index Testing of high risk population is done by the 52 Targeted TI NGOs across the state.

An Integrated Health Campaign (IHC) has also started on July 4, 2023 in the HIV vulnerable Nagaon district and the duration of the campaign is 60 days. In this campaign, not only HIV but other tests like TB, Viral Hepatitis, Syphilis, STI etc are done. During this campaign till July 18, 2023, 1569 beneficiaries were tested and 233 have been detected HIV positive.

For other diseases like Syphilis, 1262 beneficiaries have been screened and 54 number are found reactive. For Hepatitis B, 926 beneficiaries were screened and 22 number have been found reactive, for Hepatis C, 922 were screened and 165 have been found reactive. For Sexuality Transmitted