4,525 Registered People Living With HIV in Meghalaya

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: There are 4,525 registered people living with HIV in Meghalaya. Out of these 2,104 are males, 2,198 are females and 223 children (104 boys and 119 girls). This data till October this year is as per the MACS (Meghalaya Aids Control Society). The MACS also informed that the cumulative number of people living with HIV who started on ART are 3804. Also 2725 people living with HIV are currently alive till October 2019.

The cumulative number of people living with HIV who have failed to follow up is 989 — with 369 in pre-ART (Anti Retroviral Therapy) and 620 on post ART. The cumulative number of people living with HIV who have died are 650 — pre ART: 215 and on ART 435.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya State Network for Positive People (MSNP) general secretary Barry Kharmalki said that the World Aids Day offers an important platform to highlight the role of communities and greater mobilisation of communities is urgently required to address the barriers that stop communities from delivering services.

The MSNP also urged the society to stand in solidarity with the precious lives that have been lost and salute the communities who have been working hard to bring about changes to stop this epidemic.

Kharmalki also pointed out that in the State there is the ‘Meghalaya Legislators Forum on HIV/AIDS’; but sadly enough the money donated by the MLAs is only being utilised for World Aids Day.

“Apart from the World Aids Day why not also look into free transport, nutritional and educational support for kids. Assam is giving Rs one lakh to every widowed person living with HIV,” he added.

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