79 deaths reported in State since 2007
SHILLONG: With 79 deaths including six children since 2007 due to HIV/AIDS, Meghalaya has been found wanting in the fight against the dreaded virus.
There is an upward trend in the graph of HIV positive patients in the State as compared to previous years with as many as 1163 detection (from March 2007 till October 2013) out of which 4 per cent of the cases involve children below 16 years of age. Incidentally, out of the total number of HIV positive cases detected, only 527 patients have turned up for treatment.
Falling under Grade-C of the HIV vulnerability list, Meghalaya’s susceptibility to the dreaded virus may be considered as worrisome if current statistics projecting an increase in percentage of the number of positive tested persons is anything to go by.
Being a transit State and a host to numerous cement plants and coal mines, a sizeable population of migrant labourers has made its way in the society. Besides, the problem is compounded by concerns that in several cases the deadly virus (HIV) is being transmitted through the injecting drug users or IDU.
The Meghalaya Aids Control Society (MACS) has stated that the current scenario in the State is bad considering the lifestyle of the people especially the High Risk Group (HRG), their attitude and even among the general population.
As per the latest statistics available with the MACS, within a span of 7 years from 2007 to 2013, the number of accumulative deaths has gone up to 79 out of whom 6 of them were children aged less than 15.
According to the reports, the highest numbers of patients detected with the HIV positive virus were the Female Sex Workers (FSWs), followed by the IDUs, MSM (Male Having Sex with Male) and migrants.
The report adds that the MACS had received overwhelming response from the FSWs with more than 1500 voluntarily coming forward to seek treatment, a number mush higher than the target of 1300 set by the MACS for the State.
Project Director of the MACS, Dr F Kharkongor, said that it is still a challenging task to reach out to the FSWs in Meghalaya, the prime reason being the fear of stigmatization and discrimination.
Highlighting the need to sensitize the pressure groups, the community and the lower ranking police personnel when it comes to handling FSWs and IDUs, Dr Kharkongor said, “Harassment and stigmatization should be done away with as these people fall under the high risk group (HRG) and a soft approach will enable these people to come out of hiding to avail treatment.”
She stated that any time an FSW-related project is introduced by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) “We cooperate with people from that particular community or network to penetrate right to the grassroots level. At present we have a positive network working at the grassroots level to persuade people living with HIV/ AIDS to come forward through various programmes while at the same time spreading awareness on their rights.”
Elaborating on the projects implemented by the MACS in the State funded by the NACO, Dr Kharkongor said that currently there are nine projects in Meghalaya – 3 FSW projects, one core composite project (both for FSWs and MSMs), 4 IDU projects and one on migrants in Ri Bhoi District.
She also informed that NACO has approved a new model known as the Employers’ Lead Model (ELM) in Jaintia Hills where awareness will first be imparted to the employers of the industries which will be then extended to the employees or migrant workers.
The MACS will also be conducting a new programme, the Integrated Biological Behavioural Survey (IBBS) under the sentinel surveillance which requires moving down to the community level and conducting programmes.
The MACS also have a care support centre located in Shillong which provides counselling to the people living with HIV and AIDS while providing education to the peers by the peer educators.
At present, there are three mobile Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) vans allotted to the state – one each in East Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills.
However, all is not lost as far as the battle against the virus is concerned. The MACS is now roping in faith-based organizations, ASHAs, SHGs, traditional healers, Rangbah Shnong, NGOs and even the State legislators under the Meghalaya Legislators’ Forum on HIV and AIDS, which was started in 2008 where all the 60 MLAs of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly are part of the forum in the fight against this virus through different initiatives either by donation or other methods.
Under the initiative, each State legislator contributes a sum of Rs 1 lakh for the cause to the MACS.