KOHIMA — In Nagaland, a total of 33,696 persons
have tested positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) from 2006 to 2023,
according to the Nagaland Economic Survey 2023-24 published by the department
of Economics and Statistics.
It stated that Nagaland has an adult (15 to 49 years) HIV
prevalence rate of 1.36% and a general population prevalence rate of 1.61%. The
national HIV prevalence rate among adults is 0.2%.
Details of the report show that during April 2023 to
November 2023, a total of 1,30,573 people were screened, out of which 1,531 had
tested HIV positive.
Among those patients who tested HIV positive, 1,420 were
general clients and 111 patients were under antenatal care (ANC).
Meanwhile, 14.83% of the patients who tested positive for
HIV are on MBP Nevirapine treatment.
From 2006 to November 2023, a total of 3,19,690 screenings
were done, and 33,396 clients tested HIV positive, out of which 30,142 were
general clients and 3,254 under ANC.
Also, during April 2023 to November 2023, among children
under 14 years of age, a total of 1,286 male children were screened, out of
which 29 tested HIV positive, and out of 1,334 female children screened, 25
tested positive.
Thus, around 2.06% of children under the age of 14 years,
whose blood was screened, tested positive for HIV during 2023-24.
Among the children under 14 years who tested positive for HIV,
53.70% were male and 46.30% female.
From October 2007 till November 2023, a total of 1,385
children under the age of 14 had tested HIV positive.
The report also shows that a total of 26,419 HIV-positive
patients were registered in the Antiretroviral Therapy Centre (ARTC), out of
which 21,110 were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), while a total of 3,116
patients who were on ART had died.
It also reported that a total of 6,205 males, 6,332 females,
12 transgender/transsexual individuals, and 748 children who are HIV positive
are alive and on ART.
