Guwahati: Meghalaya recorded 574 new HIV infections during the first quarter of 2026, including 16 pregnant women, according to data released by the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS).
The figures were shared as MACS launched the Statewide Intensified Information, Education and Communication Campaign 3.0 at Lady Keane College in Shillong on Wednesday. The launch coincided with International Youth Day and marked the beginning of a renewed statewide drive to strengthen HIV awareness, testing and prevention.
According to MACS, casual sexual contact accounts for about 52 per cent of HIV infections reported in the state. Around 32 per cent are associated with regular partners or spouses, while injecting drug use contributes to nine per cent of infections. Commercial sexual exposure accounts for four per cent and mother-to-child transmission for around 2.5 per cent.
Launching the campaign, Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla called for greater public participation in Meghalaya’s efforts to combat HIV and urged people to reject stigma and discrimination against those living with the virus.
Shylla said the state’s HIV response required coordinated efforts involving government departments, educational institutions, healthcare workers, civil society organisations, communities, parents, teachers and young people.
He said the government had approved a five-year plan aimed at strengthening the state’s response to HIV and AIDS. He also urged stakeholders to use the two-month campaign to build sustained awareness around prevention, testing, treatment and the rights and dignity of people living with HIV.
The campaign will focus on the four recognised routes of HIV transmission, including unprotected sexual contact, the sharing of contaminated needles and syringes, mother-to-child transmission and transfusion of infected blood.
MACS Project Director Dr K L Iawbor said misinformation and social stigma continued to pose challenges to HIV prevention and treatment. He emphasised the importance of early diagnosis and timely access to treatment.
Under the campaign, MACS plans to conduct awareness activities in 126 villages, 3,000 schools and 85 colleges across Meghalaya. The society also aims to carry out around 15,000 door-to-door interactions to provide information about HIV prevention, testing and treatment services.
The campaign will use a range of outreach activities, including public performances, flash mobs and health camps. QR codes will also be deployed to give people easy access to information about HIV and related services.
Shylla highlighted the importance of involving young people in the state’s HIV prevention efforts, noting that around 51 per cent of Meghalaya’s population is below the age of 20.
He called on students and Red Ribbon Clubs in colleges to participate actively in awareness programmes and help counter misinformation by sharing accurate information on HIV prevention, testing and treatment.
The latest data and the expanded awareness campaign underscore the need for continued efforts to promote early testing, reduce stigma and improve access to HIV prevention and treatment services across Meghalaya.