World Aids Day: Assam State AIDS Control Society organizes activities to generate awareness

Guwahati (Assam) [India], December 1 (ANI): The Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS) on Thursday observed ‘World AIDS Day with a flurry of activities organized across the state.
The main state-level event was organized at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), and Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta was present as chief guest.
World AIDS Day is being observed in all districts across Assam with rallies, public meetings, and various other activities, said officials.
In order to create HIV awareness amongst the masses, ASACS has undertaken various activities by disseminating HIV messages in mass media (print and electronic), outdoor media, folk media (natika, ojapali), social media, piggyback activities during raas and durga puja festivals, events and HIV awareness in colleges through Red Ribbon Clubs and schools through Adolescence Education Programme.
During the program, Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta is going to launch 10 numbers of OPD-OST (Opioid Substitution Therapy) Dispensing Centres at 10 numbers of district hospitals across Assam including TRB Civil Hospital, Kamrup, SMK Civil Hospital, Nalbari, Morigaon Civil Hospital, Dhemaji Civil Hospital, LGB Tinsukia Civil Hospital, Sivasagar Civil Hospital, Dhubri Civil Hospital, SK Roy Civil Hospital, Hailakandi, Karimganj Civil Hospital, Goalpara Civil Hospital. The minister will also release books on HIV and Blood Donation services.
As per NACO HIV Estimation Report 2021, Assam has 25,073 people living with HIV (PLHIV). Out of this total number, 45 percent of PLHIVs are female, and 3 percent are children. The total number of people alive by taking Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is 10765, show official records.
The HIV prevalence rate in India is 0.21 and the HIV prevalence rate in Assam is 0.09 percent which is lower than the national and the national prevalence rate is 0.21 percent, officials said.
As far as the HIV prevalence in districts is concerned, Kamrup (M) has the maximum number of cases (7610), followed by Cachar district (5200), Nagaon (1602) district, and Dibrugarh (1402).
Regarding the route of transmission in Assam, 81.63 percent is through heterosexual, 5.54 percent is through HIV-infected syringes and needles, parent to child is 4.76 percent, the homosexual route is 4.61 percent 0.85 percent through blood and blood products, and 2.61 is not specified. (ANI)