Dimapur district in Nagaland topped the list of HIV cases among the 11 districts of the state with prevalence rate of 5.15 percent.
Dimapur was followed by Tuensang with 2.53 percent, Kohima 2.52 percent, Kiphire 1.79 percent, Mokokchung 1.01 percent, Peren 0.96 percent, Phek 0.68 percent, Zunheboto 0.53 percent, Wokha 0.45 percent, Longleng 0.33 percent and Mon 0.22 percent, state consultant of Legislators Forum on AIDS, Dr Vinito L. Chishi, said in his report.
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The district-wise report on HIV scenario as of April 2006 to May 2018, however, revealed the HIV prevalence in the state has come down in the last five years.
Chishi presented his report during observation of social awareness day on HIV and AIDS at Trinity Theological College here.
He, however, cautioned that since HIV prevalence rate keeps fluctuating, the rate might rise even in the next year if proper awareness and preventative measures were not taken.
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He said the decrease in HIV prevalence may be due to effectiveness of awareness programme being held across the state but added that people cannot be content with the present prevalence rate as the threat was still prevalent.
He said Tuensang in the last few years has seen a decrease in HIV prevalence while Dimapur presently at 5.15 percent has made a significant increase causing a concern.
Dimapur being the commercial hub of Nagaland, Chishi said there was a surge of immigrants and tourists in the district which has risked the increase of HIV infection. He also expressed concern over increase in men who have sex with men in Dimapur.
Quoting National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) technical report of May 2018, he said the HIV prevalence rate for adults in Nagaland stood at 1.25 percent five years ago. However, it has come down to 0.76 percent as of May 2018.
As per National AIDS Commission, HIV sentinel surveillance 2014–15 report the general populace prevalence rate was at 0.82 percent, Chishi stated.
The report showed that 10, 46,767 adults participated in blood screening out of which 23,491 were HIV positive. For children below 14 years, 32,358 appeared for blood screening out of which 999 were HIV positive.
An age-wise distribution of HIV cases showed that the age group of 14 years accounted for 6 percent, 15 percent for 15–24 years while 73 percent for 25–49 years and 6 percent for the age group of 50 years.
A report about routes of HIV transmission based from the Strategic Information Management System source from April 2016 to May 2017 was also shown. Sexual route had the highest route rate with 90 percent, 6 percent from parent to child route, 1 percent from needle and syringes, 0 percent from blood to blood and 3 percent from unknown route.
Chishi said sex workers, gay men, migrants, refugees, and transgender are more likely to be affected by HIV.