Nagaland’s intensified HIV campaign takes awareness, self-risk assessment and testing closer to communities, schools, colleges and households across the state
DIMAPUR — Nagaland’s intensified HIV campaign is moving beyond awareness meetings and public programmes, taking information and risk assessment directly to homes, villages, schools and colleges across the state.
The Intensified IEC Campaign 3.0, being implemented by the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS), is targeting different groups, including students, young people and households, with a focus on HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), prevention, self-risk assessment and access to testing and other services.
The campaign comes at a time when Nagaland has an adult HIV prevalence of 1.37%, the second highest in the country. The state has an estimated 23,470 people living with HIV, according to figures presented at the launch of the campaign.
During Week 2, door-to-door teams visited 14 villages in five districts, interacting with 336 people across 251 households. Seventy-one people used the Self-Risk Assessment (SRA) tool, while 48 went on to access HIV testing.
College outreach during the week covered three institutions in Chümoukedima, Niuland and Kohima, with 400 young people taking part. Forty opted for HIV testing following sessions on HIV and STIs, prevention, self-risk assessment and available services.
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Schools were another major focus. Eighteen activities held across six districts—Zunheboto, Tseminyu, Chümoukedima, Wokha, Longleng and Kiphire—reached 1,475 students, with 1,898 information, education and communication (IEC) materials distributed.
The campaign widened its reach in Week 3: village-level sensitisation was taken up through 45 activities across 14 districts, while door-to-door teams visited 927 households and interacted with 1,344 people; a total of 1,427 IEC materials were distributed during the household outreach.
School programmes during the week brought HIV and STI awareness to 3,474 students in 39 schools across 11 districts. The sessions also resulted in 525 Self-Risk Assessments, alongside the distribution of 3,899 IEC materials.
College outreach reached a further 760 young people in 10 colleges. Besides awareness sessions, activities included sports, competitions and digital content aimed at engaging young people in a less formal setting.
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Week 4 is still underway, but the campaign has already held 35 village-level sensitisation activities in 11 districts, involving 1,207 community members. School outreach has reached 2,979 students in 30 schools across nine districts, with 3,697 IEC materials distributed and 195 Self-Risk Assessments completed.
According to NSACS, the push for self-risk assessment and testing is intended to turn awareness into action. Rather than simply telling people about HIV, the campaign is encouraging them to consider their own risk and make use of testing, treatment and other services where needed.
At the campaign launch, the state health department had stressed that the success of the third round should not be judged only by the number of programmes conducted, but by whether they lead to increased testing, timely treatment, reduced stigma and better protection of lives.
The campaign is scheduled to continue across Nagaland, with the aim of taking HIV and STI awareness to every village in the state by October 12.