Daiaphira Kharsati
SHILLONG: Social stigma remains a hindrance in treating HIV positive patients and is also a major reason for many patients to opt out of the Anti Retroviral Therapy, or ART. A source in the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS) told The Shillong Times on the eve of World AIDS Day on Friday, “There are people who have got themselves tested and found that they were positive. Though they get registered but often they disappear.”On the reason of their disappearance, the MACS official said most people disappear due to stigmatisation from society and that some of them go back to their native places as they may be students or migrant workers.After registration with ART centre at Civil Hospital, one is tested for HIV. If the individual is tested positive, ART is started immediately. There are altogether 2,261 PLHIVs (adults-2,136, children-125) undergoing ART.It may be mentioned that Union Health Minister JP Nadda recently launched a new Test and Treat policy for HIV under which HIV positive patients are provided ART facility irrespective of the CD count or clinical stage.Again, showing a wide gap, the number of PLHIVs in active care, i.e. those who are taking medicines regularly is 1,834 (adults-1726, children-108). On the other hand, the number of PLHIVs alive and on ART is 1,667 (adults-1567, children-100). The World AIDS Day this year will focus on the right to health with the slogan, ‘My health, my right’, which will explore the challenges people around the world face in exercising their right to healthcare.The ‘My health, my right’ campaign will provide information about the right to health and what impact it has on people’s lives and also to increase visibility around the need to achieve the full realisation of the right to health by everyone, everywhere.Set with an aim to end the AIDS epidemic, the slogan points to the need to ensure the right to health as part of sustainable development goals. The number of people living with HIV who are registered in HIV care with the ART Plus Centre at Civil Hospital is 2,988 (adults-2,842, children-146).
To create awareness about HIV/AIDS, MACS will organise an array of programmes on this day with skit competitions, candlelight vigil, car/bike rally and performance by Meghalaya Icon 6 winners.