Nagaland records second-highest adult HIV rate in India: Report
Guwahati: Nagaland now has the second-highest adult HIV prevalence in India at 1.37 per cent, well above the national average of 0.21 per cent, according to the India HIV Estimates 2023.
Anoop Khinchi, Commissioner and Secretary of Health & Family Welfare and Chairman of the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS), highlighted the figures while inaugurating the NSACS stall at Kisama on Monday as part of World AIDS Day 2025 observances.
Khinchi said the state is intensifying efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 Target 3.3 and meet the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets.
As of October, Nagaland reached 88 per cent for the first 95 (diagnosis), 79 per cent for the second 95 (treatment), and 98 per cent for the third 95 (viral suppression).
He expressed confidence that the state could meet global targets by 2026 but stressed the need for coordinated action from government agencies, communities, private organisations, and faith-based groups.
Khinchi also warned that HIV infections are increasingly spreading from traditional high-risk groups—including people who inject drugs, female sex workers, MSMs, transgender individuals, migrants, and prison inmates—to a wider at-risk population engaging in unsafe behaviour. He urged citizens to approach testing, prevention, and treatment with compassion, stating, “HIV does not discriminate, and neither should we.”
During the programme, participants pledged to make responsible health choices and combat stigma and discrimination. Nagaland also hosted a state-level World AIDS Day event in Kohima, organised by NSACS in collaboration with NNagaDAO, NNP+, and other development partners under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”
NSACS Project Director Ahu Sekhose highlighted the state’s progress, noting that Nagaland improved its national ranking from 19th to 8th place in NACO’s assessments. He said the state is one of six in India on track to achieve the 95-95-95 targets, demonstrating strong performance across 50 indicators, with 38 Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres receiving five-star certification.
However, NNagaDAO president Abou Mere voiced concerns over rising infections among youth and the epidemic’s spread across all districts. He also cited “critical funding constraints” affecting key intervention programmes. NNP+ president Lanu Aier urged the revival of the Legislators’ Forum on AIDS, which was disbanded in 2020, to strengthen advocacy efforts.
Alice Yhoshu, president of KPC, emphasised the media’s role in countering misinformation, while Global Naga Forum co-convenor Prof. Rosemary Dzuvichu highlighted the daily challenges faced by people living with HIV. She called on the government to enhance support for affected communities in areas such as nutrition, employment, and skill development.