By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 2: Meghalaya State Network of Positive People+ (MSNP+) president, Paul Molun Hrangbung, has warned that Meghalaya continues to struggle in containing the spread of HIV/AIDS, even as the United Nations aims to end the epidemic by 2030.
Speaking at the state-level observance of World AIDS Day 2025 on Monday, Paul said that despite ongoing efforts, the virus is still spreading rapidly across the state.
“Many states in India are successfully containing the spread, but Meghalaya is struggling. I am not being negative. I am stating the reality we see daily. Unless we work harder together, we may not achieve the goal of an HIV-free Meghalaya by 2030,” he said.
Calling for collective responsibility, the MSNP+ president cautioned against the prevailing attitude of indifference. “HIV does not know tribes or communities. It only knows blood, and all our blood is the same,” he said.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Wailadmiki Shylla had announced a comprehensive five-year, Rs 25-crore Mission Mode programme to intensify testing, treatment, and awareness campaigns across the state.
“The proposal will be placed before the Cabinet in its next meeting,” Shylla said, adding that the initiative aims to strengthen HIV services and support systems significantly.
During the programme, Hrangbung and his wife Agui Daimai, who is the co-founder of MSNP+, shared their 18-year journey of living with HIV, highlighting personal struggles as well as the broader social barriers faced by thousands in Meghalaya.
Hrangbung recalled being diagnosed in 2006, at a time when the state had no testing or treatment facilities, forcing him to travel to RIMS, Imphal.
He spoke about battling addiction, surviving a severe accident that left him with a fractured leg for 14 years, and the deep stigma faced by early members of MSNP+.
Today, the network has over 6,100 registered members, including more than 500 children living with HIV, with the highest concentration in the Jaintia Hills region.
One of their biggest concerns remains the high number of Lost to Follow-Up cases—individuals who discontinue Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). “ART is lifelong and essential to suppress the virus,” Hrangbung stressed.
He added that many families affected by HIV belong to impoverished backgrounds, struggling for food, shelter, and social acceptance.
He also pointed to the silence surrounding HIV in many communities, including churches, where open conversations on sexual health remain discouraged.
Sharing her story, Daimai said that discovering her HIV status was heartbreaking but marked the beginning of a new journey. She emphasised that people living with HIV speak out not for sympathy but for dignity and understanding.
Daimai, whose viral load is now “Target Not Detected”, said modern treatment allows individuals to lead full, healthy lives. Yet, stigma keeps many from seeking timely care. “A single pill a day can change a person’s life, but shame stops many from taking it,” she said.
She called for stronger community-led services, a human rights-based approach, and urgent attention to funding challenges, inequality, and lack of awareness.
