Drugs and HIV in India’s Northeast: An Uneven Epidemic
Drugs and HIV in India’s Northeast: An Uneven Epidemic
Context: India’s latest HIV Estimates 2023 reveal sharp regional disparities even as national infections decline, with several Northeastern states reporting rising prevalence linked to drug-trafficking corridors.
What are the major concerns of the Northeastern region?
- High HIV Burden Concentrated in Border States: According to NACO’s HIV Estimates 2023, Mizoram (≈2.7%), Nagaland (≈1.3%), and Manipur (≈1%) have some of India’s highest adult HIV prevalence rates—4–13 times the national average (0.2%). These clusters reflect persistent vulnerabilities along drug transit corridors.
- Drug Trafficking and Border Vulnerabilities: The Northeast borders Myanmar and lies adjacent to the Golden Triangle, a major hub of heroin and synthetic drug production.
- Frequent seizures under the NDPS Act in 2024–25 reveal that the region remains a critical narcotics transit and consumption zone, heightening public-health risks.
- Weak Health Infrastructure in Frontier Districts: Remote, conflict-affected terrains restrict access to testing, ART centres, and disease surveillance. NACP-V (2021–26) has expanded community testing, but coverage gaps persist in Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and hill districts.
- Emerging Hotspots and Data Revisions: States like Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh show sharp rises in new infections (400–500% since 2010) partly due to improved case-finding. However, this indicates previously undercounted epidemics.
Why are HIV infections rising in the region?
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Injecting Drug Use and Unsafe Practices
Injecting drug use (IDU) remains a major driver. In Assam, IDU accounted for ≈65% of new infections in 2023–24 (Assam SACS). Limited access to Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) and sterile needle programmes aggravates risk.
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Shift in Transmission Patterns
In Mizoram, two-thirds of new infections now occur through unsafe sexual practices, showing that the epidemic is no longer solely IDU-driven and requires broader prevention messaging.
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Health-System Lag in Newer Frontiers
Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Punjab exhibit rising infections and deaths because testing, ART initiation, and retention have not kept pace with rapidly changing drug networks.
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Social Stigma and Limited Community Integration:
Despite strong community organisations, stigma restricts early diagnosis. NACO notes that delays in testing significantly increase progression to AIDS.
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The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH
