SHILLONG, June 17: Meghalaya is staring at a disturbing public health crisis, with the state recording a 221% increase in HIV/AIDS cases over the past 19 years.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh called for an urgent and collective action, urging communities and elected representatives to confront the issue without stigma or prejudice.
Addressing media persons on Tuesday, she noted that Meghalaya’s HIV/AIDS growth rate stood at 221.1% over nearly two decades, with Tripura recording an even worse figure at over 330%.
She cautioned against using these statistics to shame the state, insisting that the focus must remain on addressing the problem rather than attaching blame. According to her, such alarming figures demand immediate community-level involvement to control the spread.
Lyngdoh appealed to legislators, MDCs and public leaders at every level to participate actively in the effort. She stressed that progress can be achieved only if the leaders walk the extra mile, set aside judgment and address the issue with honesty and empathy. In her view, an open and inclusive approach is necessary to arrive at lasting solutions.
To tackle the crisis, the government has introduced an Integrated Health Campaign focused specifically on HIV/AIDS. The minister pointed out that certain communities and localities remain more vulnerable and emphasised the need for targeted interventions that respect the privacy of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. She said the government cannot afford to remain passive and must act decisively to stop the disease from spreading further.
After chairing an intra-departmental meeting on the subject, Lyngdoh highlighted the lack of coordination among key departments such as health, education and social welfare, as a major hindrance in tackling the issue effectively.
She said the departments are working in silos which ultimately led to missed targets. Moving forward, she said the aim should be to ensure better coordination, reduce case numbers, and expand access to medical care for the affected individuals.
The minister expressed concern about the general lack of awareness and the prevailing discomfort around discussing HIV/AIDS in public. She said many people do not understand the disease, nor are they able to identify its symptoms, and those living with it often do not even realise what they are experiencing.
While the connection between injecting drug use and HIV transmission is well known, she questioned whether the society is prepared to engage with the issue openly, especially considering how drug use is quietly becoming a major concern within homes and neighbourhoods.
Lyngdoh reflected on the complex ethical challenge posed by harm-reduction strategies. She noted that while providing clean needles to drug users is a widely practised method to reduce infection, popularising such practices without inadvertently normalising drug abuse presents a moral dilemma. She felt that the state needs to urgently draw clear lines and find a careful, effective way to implement such measures.
Commercial sex work was another subject she touched upon. She observed that the society tends to react with judgment—whether it concerns those who operate discreetly or those who are more visible. She questioned whether communities are truly willing to engage in a candid dialogue about the reasons behind the existence of such a profession. In her view, unless communities let go of these judgmental attitudes, the problem will continue to fester unchecked.
The minister concluded by emphasising the need for institutional systems that are grounded in trust, particularly for vulnerable groups. She believed that these systems must be reimagined and built afresh. She said Meghalaya has reached a critical stage where such restructuring is not just desirable, but urgent.
In preparation for the International Day Against Drug Abuse on June 26, Lyngdoh directed all departments to formulate action plans aimed at confronting the HIV/AIDS and drug crises through integrated, cross-sector strategies.
