NACO data says Nagaland has highest HIV prevalence rate in the country
KOHIMA, MAY 15 : The Network of Naga People living with HIV and AIDS (NNP+) and the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) jointly organized a programme marking the 33rd International AIDS Candlelight Memorial in Kohima this evening under the theme ‘Engage, Educate, Empower’.
“The mission of the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is to honour, support and advocate for those who have been affected by the global HIV epidemic through mobilizing communities for a world where people do not die of HIV and AIDS and the people living with HIV (PLHIV) can live a healthy life with dignity,” said Lanu, the president of NNP+, while talking about the significance of the day.
Held on the third Sunday of May every year, the event, coordinated by the Global Network of People living with HIV, is one of the world’s oldest and largest grassroots mobilization campaigns for HIV awareness in the world involving a coalition of about 1,200 community organizations in 115 countries. The occasion serves as an important intervention for global solidarity, breaking down barriers of stigma and discrimination, and giving hope to new generations.
Maintaining what the society does today will determine the kind of world that will be left behind for the future generations, Lanu said the battle against the HIV epidemic should therefore be the society’s collective battle. Touching upon the theme of the occasion, he pointed out the need to ‘Engage’ people, communities, governments and donors in ending the epidemic; to ‘Educate’ the current and the next generations about HIV, its treatment, prevention and care and how it affects the lives of people; and to ‘Empower’ PLHIV in all their diversity to stand up for their right to live a life free of stigma and discrimination.
“While we look back and remember the ones who are no more with us, may our memories of them give us the motivation and strength that we need to intensify the fight against HIV,” he stated.
State TB officer RNTCP, Dr. KT Lotha in his address acknowledged that despite relentless research for preventive vaccine and curative medicine for HIV and AIDS by scientists and doctors, a breakthrough is yet to be seen except for development of medicines to control the disease so that PLHIV can live a healthier life. He remarked that health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing. While the physical and mental aspects are being taken care of by medical practitioners and counsellors, a communicable disease like HIV and AIDS has directly or indirectly impacted greatly on the social health aspect of PLHIV due to wide prevalence of stigma and discrimination. On the spiritual aspect, he felt that the church needs to play a more proactive role, not just in spreading awareness but also in taking care of the spiritual health of the PLHIV. Towards this end, he underscored the need for all the stakeholders of the society to recommit themselves towards the cause of PLHIV as well as for the prevention and further spread of the disease for a better future.
Government and the church have failed the people
According to the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) annual report 2014-15, the highest prevalence of HIV among the general population in India was recorded in Nagaland (0.88%), which was followed by Mizoram (0.68%), Manipur (0.64%), Andhra Pradesh (0.59%) and Karnataka (0.53%).
President of Network of Nagaland Drugs and AIDS Organisation (NNagaDAO), Abou Mere did not mince words to blame the state government and the church for this statistic.
“This (the NACO data) means, one person out of every 133 people living in Nagaland is HIV+… This only shows our collective failure. That we, as health activists and health workers have failed, but most importantly, the state government has failed its citizens and the church has failed its flock,” Mere asserted while delivering a solidarity speech on the occasion of International AIDS Candlelight Memorial.
He stated that the state government has failed to implement properly the Article 21 which ensures every citizen his/her right to health, by not bringing out appropriate budget and planning with regard to the HIV and AIDS community. Instead, they chose to turn a blind eye and let the NGOs take the responsibility, he added. Also, Nagaland being a Christian state, he questioned if the PLHIV are not members of the church, regardless of the denomination.
Mere cited that all the Drop-In Centres (DICs) implementing HIV targeted intervention programs across the state are going to close down on May 17 and 18, to protest against non-release of funds to intervention program implementing NGOs. “People may think that its just two days, but the virus (HIV) does not take rest nor does it discriminate, it can infect anyone. It is sad that intervention action and programs are going to stop for two days,” he said. He also lamented that while the proposed agitation was widely publicised, the state government, the church and the civil societies have remained silent over the issue instead of stepping forward to at least support the NGOs.
“This is happening even when our state has recorded the highest prevalence rate of HIV in the country. No one is concerned except for a handful of people, most of whom are present here today,” Mere said, adding sadly that, “We are talking about development, we are talking about sovereignty, but we are failing to see that our people are getting affected and are dying of HIV and AIDS.”
Maintaining that the HIV epidemic is visible and affecting every sphere, he stressed on the need to engage the society, educate the people and empower all citizens towards suppressing the virus from spreading further.
“This is the time to show our solidarity to the PLHIV and recommit ourselves to work for humanity,” he added.
Meanwhile, the gathering at the memorial service lighted candles and prayed for all those who have lost their lives through HIV and AIDS and also for PLHIV and their families.