Assam Witnesses Rise In HIV Infections Due To Injection Of Drugs: Report

HIV-AIDS infections rise in Assam and the main cause is injection of drugs.

The Health Minister of Assam, Keshab Mahanta reported on February 9th that the state has registered an increase in he number of HIV-AIDs cases. The main cause behind this was cited as injecting of drugs. With the aid of the government and from NGO's, the minister said that they have been working closely with the patients who were diagnosed as positive. The report has not disclosed the identification and other details of the patients in order to maintain anonymity.

Drug addictions and peddling is the main cause of the spike in infections. According to reports, about 50 percent of the drug peddlers were also found positive with HIV. The MLA of congress Sibamoni Bora raised the important matter of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and its spread during the Question Hour.

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MLA Sibamonia Bora, during her statement alleged that the steps undertaken to spread awareness regarding HIV since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the state has been very less. According to the data between 2022 and 2023, 31,729 HIV-AIDS cases were detected in Assam and 89,84,519 tests were conducted. By December 2023, 5,791 cases were found to be positive out of 9,90,372 tests. These numbers indicate a definite rise in infections.

As per the statement from the Minister of Health of Assam, the government is working closely with NGO's to provide care to the infected patients, to spread awareness among the vulnerable sections of the state. However, he said that confidentiality must be maintained when it comes to HIV-AIDs and the specificities of the work done cannot be provided to the public.

The minister also went on to say that, the highest numbers of cases in recent times have been because of the virus spreading through the injection of drugs. A government drive has been launched by the state to track illegal drug use and peddling.