Serious setback to HIV program in Nagaland, says advocacy

EMN Dimapur, November 16 An organization representing advocacy for persons affected by HIV and AIDS has said that the ‘HIV program’ in Nagaland is in a ‘serious setback.’ The Network of Nagaland Drugs and AIDS Organization (NNagaDAO) said in a press release on Monday stated that the government of Nagaland is refusing to release funds and in the process the movement of health response has been undermined. The Network of Nagaland Drugs and AIDS Organization is one of the major advocacy groups in Nagaland that has other likeminded non-governmental organizations under it. The organization is an issue-based network and applies joint forces of all nongovernmental organizations working in the field of drugs and HIV and AIDS in Nagaland. In the press release, the NNagaDAO stated that the grant of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) to the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society “is routing through the state exchequer to ensure more transparent, accountability and effective implementation of HIV/AIDS program in the state.” “However due to non-release of fund by Nagaland State government, it is going to create a serious setback to HIV program, a threat to the public health response and it will undermine the gains that Nagaland have achieved in respond to HIV/AIDS,” the organization stated. “Nagaland Government should understand and recognize the urgent unprecedented action is critical to contend HIV in Nagaland, the delay inreleasing fund will allow the epidemic to continue to outpace the response in controlling new HIV transmission and HIV related death.” Stating its grievance, the statement from the NNagaDAO strongly urged the chief minister of Nagaland, who is also the in-charge of finance, “to expedite all possible actions to ensure fund for HIV/AIDS are release immediately from the State exchequer for effective implementation of HIV/AIDS program.” The press release was appended by Abou Mere, president of the NNagaDAO. HIV/AIDS remains one of the world’s most significant public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. As a result of recent advances in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-positive people now live longer and healthier lives. In addition, it has been confirmed that ART prevents onward transmission of HIV. At the end of 2014, 14.9 million people were receiving ART worldwide; this represents 40% [37–45%] of the 36.9 million [34.3–41.4 million] people living with HIV. Progress has also been made in preventing and eliminating mother-to-child transmission and keeping mothers alive. In 2014, a little over 7 out of 10 pregnant women living with HIV, or 1 070 000 women, received antiretrovirals (ARVs). WHO has released a set of normative guidelines and provides support to countries in formulating and implementing policies and programmes to improve and scale up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for all people in need. Refresher: Quick facts about HIV HIV testing can help to ensure treatment for people in need Access to HIV testing and medicines should be dramatically accelerated in order to reach the goal of Ending AIDS by 2030. Approximately 150 million children and adults in 129 low- and middle-income countries reportedly received HIV testing services in 2014. However, HIV testing reach is still very limited, as only an estimated 51% of people with HIV know their infection status. HIV can be transmitted through: • Unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal) or oral sex with an infected person • Transfusions of contaminated blood • Sharing of contaminated needles, syringes or other sharp instruments • Transmission between a mother and her baby during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Key ways to prevent HIV transmission: • Practice safe sexual behaviors such as using condoms; • Get tested and treated for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; • Avoid injecting drugs, or if you do, always use new and disposable needles and syringes; • Ensure that any blood or blood products that you might need are tested for HIV. 36.9 million people are living with HIV worldwide Globally, an estimated 36.9 million [34.3–41.4 million] people were living with HIV in 2014, and 2.6 million [2.4–2.8 million] of these were children. The vast majority of people living with HIV are in low- and middle-income countries. An estimated 2.0 million [1.9–2.2 million] people were newly infected with the virus in 2014. An estimated 34 million people have died from AIDS-related causes so far, including 1.2 million [1.0–1.5 million] in 2014. Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevents the HIV virus from multiplying in the body If the reproduction of the HIV virus stops, then the body’s immune cells are able to live longer and provide the body with protection from infections. If the HIV positive partner in a couple is on ART, the likelihood of sexual transmission to the HIV-negative partner decreases dramatically by 96%. HIV is the strongest risk factor for developing active TB disease In 2013, approximately 360 000 deaths from tuberculosis occurred among people living with HIV. That is one fourth of the estimated 1.5 million deaths from HIV in that year. The majority of people living with both HIV and TB reside in sub-Saharan Africa (about 78% of cases worldwide).