Kohima: Cases of fresh HIV/AIDS infection have come down in Nagaland, which is among six states in the country where the disease is highly prevalent, Chief Minister Neiphiou Rio said.
Due to awareness campaigns launched at all levels, and care and support infrastructure, the graph of infection of HIV/AIDS had climbed down in the state, said the Chief Minister at a meeting of the State Council on AIDS (SCA) held here on Friday.
The Chief minister, who is also the chairman of SCA, appreciated and congratulated various agencies and NGOs who have been fighting against AIDS in the state.
Rio suggested the people living with HIV/AIDS to come up with income generating projects to sustain themselves assuring support through the Chief Minister’s Corpus Fund.
Giving an overview of HIV/AIDS scenario in the state, project director of Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS), Nandira Changkija said the people were now less hesitant in coming forward to get tested and getting themselves treated.
She, however, pointed out that the disturbing trend was the higher percentage of pregnant women getting infected with the disease, but on the positive side, the state witnessed increase in attendance of clinics by such women.
According to district wise records of HIV status, Dimapur has the highest number of people tested positive and 89 per cent cases through sexual route of transmission.
Nagaland Health and Family welfare minister Kuzoluzho Neinou lauded the active support from Legislators’ Forum on AIDS that expressed the commitment of political leadership in fighting disease in the state. He said the state received laudable comments from NACO, Government of India and UNAIDS.
The meeting formally adopted the Nagaland State AIDS Policy unanimously with chief minister suggesting slugging of LFA together with District Planning and Development Board (DPDB), to which the house agreed.
Representatives from NACO, people living with HIV positive (NNP+), NGOs also attended the meeting. (PTI)