Assam: HIV cases among injecting drug users a major concern, says CM

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: A total of 7,274 HIV-positive cases were detected in Assam in 2023-24, of which 65% were detected among injecting drug users.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed concern about this issue and said a stark point is how 65% of the HIV-positive people detected last year contracted the disease due to injecting drugs. "Our effort is to combat this issue. I reviewed the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the state. Our stern efforts are aimed at a drug-free Assam, and this has assumed greater significance as it is leading to severe irreversible health complications for the people," he said.

In 2023, the number of AIDS-related deaths was 337. Till that year, the estimated number of people living with HIV was 32,031. Till April-June 2023, the percentage of injecting drug users with HIV was 50%, which jumped to 65% by the end of the year.

According to a senior doctor working in the field of HIV, Assam is witnessing a rising trend in HIV cases, and the number of HIV-positive cases registered a three-fold growth. The primary reason for this, he said, is the sharing of needles among injecting drug users. The more the prevalence of drug use increases, the more such cases will register higher growth.

The CM said, "Since 2021, the government has taken a firm step against narcotics and is vigorously pursuing the mission of 'Assam against drugs' to safeguard the state's youth from falling into the trap of drugs. In the last three years, drugs worth Rs 2,100 crore were seized, and the war against drugs will continue."

Sources said the first case of AIDS was detected in September 1990. Since then, the cases have increased due to the practice of unsafe sex, the transmission of AIDS by truck drivers from outside the state, the transmission through the transfusion of contaminated blood, etc. Gradually, however, the growth trend is veering more towards injecting drug users, and there has been a huge increase in the number of HIV-positive cases among this section of the populace.

The Assam State AIDS Control Society has taken various steps, especially amongst the high-risk groups, which include injecting drug users, female sex workers, men having sex with men, single male migrants, long-distance truckers, etc.

Also Read: Assam: Assam University Makes Strides in HIV Treatment with Organic Photosynthesis Breakthrough (sentinelassam.com)

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