Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma chaired the inaugural meeting of the State Council on AIDS this week. He pushed for a unified battle against the virus. The state HIV prevalence rate sits at 0.40 percent, doubling the national average of 0.20 percent. New infections jumped by 58.74 percent since 2010. Nearly seven new cases appear every day.
Total cases in the state reached 618, a tally that includes 60 pregnant women. While deaths related to AIDS dropped 61.18 percent since 2010, the treatment gap remains lethal. Only 77.2 percent of people living with HIV currently receive medical care. Exactly 2,381 diagnosed individuals have yet to start treatment. Sangma blamed financial hurdles and social stigma for people dropping out of the system. He noted, "A coordinated, whole-of-society approach would be essential to ensure that no one is left behind in Meghalaya’s fight against HIV/AIDS."
The state's new five-pronged plan focuses on early detection, better treatment retention, and stopping new infections. The strategy also prioritizes mother-to-child protection and fighting social stigma. Authorities plan to expand self-testing and index partner testing. They will deploy mobile Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres and open new ART Centres. Teams will also begin home delivery of medicines and track missed patient appointments. Sangma wants more awareness programs targeting youth, schools, and local communities to change the trajectory.
Updated at 16th September 2026 at 1:48am
Sangma confirmed the meeting took place on September 15. He explicitly identified treatment initiation and retention as the biggest gaps in the state response, moving beyond the broader issue of general medical care.
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