Shillong, June 26: A total of 234 HIV positive cases have been detected so far in Meghalaya which National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) described as a low prevalence rate of 0.06 per cent.
"The affected people, which include 26 female and six
children, are being treated at Integrated Counselling and
Testing Centres," said Dr Pushkar Singh, North East
Coordinator, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
He said there could be more than 1200 cases in the
state, but as people did not come up for voluntary testing, it
was difficult to get the exact number of affected people.
Quoting a baseline study by UNODC, Singh said 95 per
cent of the population in the state did not have complete
understanding on HIV/AIDS as he pointed out that drug abuse
leads to manifold social and health problems.
Working with NGOs focused on drugs abuse, UNODC looks
at June 26 as a date for raising public awareness on the
diminishing returns of substance abuse, through innovative
programmes across the seven states of North East India.
Highlighting the steps taken to control the menace, Dr
Singh said Voluntary Health Association of Meghalaya (VHAM)
has been running Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) project with
the support of NACO.
There are 375 drug addicts from Shillong and Jowai,
who have registered under OST project while 170 are in the
waiting list, Dr Singh said.
On the occasion of International Day Against Drug
Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the UNODC in collaboration with
other agencies, NGOs and government announced a massive
awareness campaign in the state.
As part of the three-day programme that started on
Wednesday, sporting events, competitions and cultural events
were organized, while a series of Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) materials were launched today.
The IEC materials would be disseminated to the people
within the next year.
On the occasion of International Day Against Drug
Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the UNODC in collaboration with
other agencies, NGOs and government announced a massive
awareness campaign in the state.
As part of the three-day programme that started on
Wednesday, sporting events, competitions and cultural events
were organized, while a series of Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) materials were launched today.
The IEC materials would be disseminated to the people
within the next year.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, June 26, 2009, 17:59