HIV cases spiral in state, may go beyond ’21-22 tally

Guwahati: HIV cases have spiraled in Assam with over 2,000 cases being detected in barely seven months this year, a figure which equals the number of cases detected in the entire period in 2021-2022. Health officials said the trend is heading towards a figure which may end up as the highest HIV cases in Assam by March next year.
Till now, the highest ever HIV cases 2,366 were detected in Assam in 2021-2022. But this year, from April to October alone 2,269 cases have been detected.
“The new HIV cases in Assam have increased by 26.2% in 2021 in comparison to 2010. In the current year, it is seen that HIV infections are spreading among the youth, especially among IDUs (Injecting Drug Users),” said Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS) project director Pomi Baruah.
In 2021, Assam had 2,079 new infections and incidentally, the highest prevalence was among the prison population, truckers and men having sex with men (MSM), stated the book titled ‘Jigyasa’ released by the state health minister, Keshab Mahanta, on the occasion of World AIDS Day on Thursday. It revealed that ‘injecting drug users’ is a rising concern. Speaking on the theme ‘Equalize’, Baruah said time has come to address the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV.
“The drug users are being found with HIV infection as we have accelerated health screening of jail inmates. They carried the infection before being lodged in jails,” claimed inspector general of prisons, Assam, Barnali Sharma.
ASACS said the route of HIV transmission is 81.6% through heterosexual activities and this is followed by 5.54% infection spread through HIV-infected syringe and needles. Parent to child transmission is 4.76%, homosexual transmission rate is 4.61% and transmission through blood and blood products is 0.85%. The reason behind the infection is not specified in 2.61% cases.
As per NACO HIV Estimation Report 2021, Assam has about 25,073 people living with HIV (PLHIV). Of them, 45% are female and 3% are children. Kamrup (M) has the maximum number of cases (7,610), followed by Cachar district (5,200), Nagaon (1,602) district and Dibrugarh (1,402). Till October 2022, 10,765 people were on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).