YMA, MSACS to combat HIV & drug addiction

Aizawl: The central committee of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest community-based organisation among the Mizos, and the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) have agreed to work closely together in combating the spread of HIV and addressing drug addiction.

In a ‘consultative deliberation' held at the central YMA hall in Aizawl on Friday, MSACS project director Jane R Ralte said 32,544 people have been infected since Oct 1990 till March end this year, while the number of HIV infected people during the 2024-2025 financial year (April 2024 to March 2025) was 2,021.

Ralte said 1,302 infected people (68.13% of 2,021) during the last fiscal contracted the disease through unsafe sex of which the large majority are having permanent partners (wives or husbands or lovers), followed by those having casual sex partners. "There is also an increase in infections among males who have male partners," she said.

Among those infected during the last financial year, 83.47% are between the age group of 15 and 49 years, making the use of condoms during sex more important, she said. She appealed to the YMA to educate youths to carry condoms wherever they go.

President of the central YMA Lalhmachhuana said not only drug addicts but some people with wealth and good reputation in the society are vulnerable to HIV infections and can propagate the disease. Lalhmachhuana suggested that YMA leaders and MSACS officials should form groups to study the behaviour of people on the streets at night.

The advantage of Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) over Intravenous Drug Use (IDU) was also discussed in the consultation.

Aizawl: The central committee of the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the largest community-based organisation among the Mizos, and the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) have agreed to work closely together in combating the spread of HIV and addressing drug addiction.

In a ‘consultative deliberation' held at the central YMA hall in Aizawl on Friday, MSACS project director Jane R Ralte said 32,544 people have been infected since Oct 1990 till March end this year, while the number of HIV infected people during the 2024-2025 financial year (April 2024 to March 2025) was 2,021.

Ralte said 1,302 infected people (68.13% of 2,021) during the last fiscal contracted the disease through unsafe sex of which the large majority are having permanent partners (wives or husbands or lovers), followed by those having casual sex partners. "There is also an increase in infections among males who have male partners," she said.

Among those infected during the last financial year, 83.47% are between the age group of 15 and 49 years, making the use of condoms during sex more important, she said. She appealed to the YMA to educate youths to carry condoms wherever they go.

President of the central YMA Lalhmachhuana said not only drug addicts but some people with wealth and good reputation in the society are vulnerable to HIV infections and can propagate the disease. Lalhmachhuana suggested that YMA leaders and MSACS officials should form groups to study the behaviour of people on the streets at night.

The advantage of Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) over Intravenous Drug Use (IDU) was also discussed in the consultation.