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DIMAPUR — Nagaland ranks second in India for overall HIV prevalence and has the highest percentage of pregnant women testing positive for HIV during antenatal checkups (ANCs) compared to any other state.
These concerning statistics were revealed by Dr. Hotokha Hesso, Senior Medical Officer of the ART Plus Centre, Dimapur, at a press conference on Friday.
While pointing out that HIV transmission occurs through four main routes -- unprotected sex (the most common, particularly among youth), sharing infected needles, blood transfusions (though rare due to screening), and from mother to child -- he said it is preventable.
When a pregnant woman living with HIV adheres to Anti-Retroviral (ART) therapy, the risk of transmission to her child during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding, is negligible, he said, adding that high ANC percentages indicate the virus's presence within the community.
Stressing the importance of awareness, the SMO said the spread of HIV within community can be effectively controlled by taking precautions against the four known transmission routes.
Dr. Hesso expressed concern over the recent surge in HIV and Hepatitis C cases, attributing it to a rise in intravenous (IV) drug use, particularly among young people aged 15 to 35.
Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland have experienced a concerning increase in HIV cases linked to IV drug use, and the percentage of detection, which was previously at 1 per cent, has now increased to 8 per cent in the last one year, he said.
However, the most common route of transmission among the young people is unprotected sex with an HIV-infected partner, followed by transmission through IV drug use -- sharing infected needles -- he said.
While transmission through blood transfusion also happens, all blood is screened before transfusion and doctors are very careful. However, there is still a risk when people are not careful, he said.
An HIV positive person on ART can live a healthy normal life and the virus can be virally suppressed, he added.
To combat this public health crisis, District AIDS Prevention and Control Unit (DAPCU) District Programme Officer, Mecievinuo Zhotso, called for greater awareness and a reduction in the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS.
She said that misconceptions about HIV and AIDS fuel stigma, leading individuals to conceal their status and inadvertently contributing to its spread. Acknowledging that the department alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of awareness campaigns, she sought collaboration from students, organisations, and community leaders.
Dr. Hesso also addressed a recent viral video which showed an alleged HIV positive person selling meat in Dimapur, saying that HIV cannot be transmitted through meat consumption.
HIV is a fragile virus that becomes inactive outside the body, especially in hot, humid environments like Dimapur, he clarified.
“Although HIV can be spread by sharing needles from an infected person, if the needle has been exposed outside for a very long time without any needle prick injury to anyone, the virus becomes inactive,” he added.
The SMO also clarified that the syringe found in the bag of the meat seller claiming to be medicine for HIV, is not for HIV treatment.
“When it comes to HIV treatment, it is all in tablet form. There are no injections or even syrups. It is not for HIV medication use,” he said, while opining that the syringes could have been used for other purposes, such as injecting drugs, which is a common occurrence.
He also said that there's a possibility that it was, “used for his own business or it could have been formalin”.
Further, while the individual in the video had disclosed his HIV status, Dr. Hesso emphasised the importance of protecting the privacy of individuals living with HIV.
Disclosing one’s status without consent is inappropriate and can fuel misinformation and discrimination, he added.
Dr. Molu Jamir, Medical Officer of the ART Plus Centre, also clarified that consuming meat, even if it has come into contact with HIV-infected blood, poses no risk of transmission.
“Transmission through contaminated meat is impossible,” he said, adding that the public should be vigilant about other food-borne risks such as parasitic, protozoan and bacterial infections.
“Both authorities and the public should prioritise safe handling practices for meat and meat products, both in marketplaces and at home. While there has been speculation about HIV transmission through consumption, it is simply not a possibility,” he added.