SHILLONG, Dec 1: The situation in Meghalaya as far as HIV infections are concerned is quite grim with more than 11,000 people living with the virus. To further exacerbate the situation, a majority of the HIV-infected people are yet to come forward for testing and treatment.
Revealing this on the occasion of World Aids Day here, Project Director of Meghalaya AIDS Control Society, Dr R Allya, said that the state has more than 5,000 HIV-infected people who are either registered or undergoing treatment. The rest, however, are difficult to be reached out.
“We have a burden of reaching out to 6,000 people living with HIV to come forward for testing and treatment,” she added.
Elucidating further on the grim statistics of Meghalaya, Dr Allya informed that around 200 children in Meghalaya live with HIV.
Terming HIV as a “silent pandemic” that has walked the earth for years, she added that many HIV-infected people were deserted and coerced to leave their homes.
Calling for an end to stigmatisation and discrimination against the people living with HIV, Dr Allya informed that concerted efforts are being made by Meghalaya AIDS Control Society to disseminate awareness among the masses in this regard.
Meanwhile, as part of the observance of World Aids Day, the Meghalaya Aids Control Society on Wednesday organised a bike-cum-vintage car rally in Shillong on Wednesday.
The ones who partook in the rally went to different parts of the city to raise awareness against stigmatisation of HIV-infected people.
