Meghalaya faces mounting challenge with 8384 registered HIV cases

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 30, 2023

A pressing challenge lies ahead for the state of Meghalaya as a total of 8384 persons living with HIV (PLHIV) are being registered in HIV care as on October 2023 with the most number of PLHIVs found in East Khasi Hills district.

As per statistics available with the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS), East Khasi Hills – 2611, Eastern West Khasi Hills – 210, South West Khasi Hills – 115, West Khasi Hills – 112, Ri Bhoi- 531, East Jaintia Hills -1976, West Jaintia Hills – 2441, North Garo Hills – 17, West Garo Hills – 111, South West Garo Hills – 19, South Garo Hills – 18, East Garo Hills – 23, others- 200.

A mammoth task before the health sector is keeping track patients who stop Antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment eventually adding to the list of lost to follow-up.

MACS will observe World AIDS Day on 1st December, 2023 at 11:00 AM at 2nd Ground, Polo, Shillong, to be followed by the Red Ribbon Superstar Meghalaya Icon and the theme for this year is “Let communities lead.”

World AIDS day is observed annually on December 1 where people across the globe extend their support to PLHIVs, bring an end to discrimination toward them and also to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS-related illness.

The theme for this year is “Let communities lead” considering that the end of AIDS as a deadly disease will be possible when communities are given a prominent leadership role.

Health organizations, governments globally celebrate and recognise the contributions and campaigns made by communities in leading the response to HIV.