Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: Saitual has claimed the top spot in Mizoram HIV control. The district earned the Surakshit status after hitting all three marks of the 95-95-95 strategy set by the National AIDS Control Organisation. Officials confirmed the milestone on September 8. It remains the only district in the state to hit this goal.
The strategy requires 95 percent of HIV-positive people to know their status, 95 percent of those patients to start antiretroviral therapy, and 95 percent of those on treatment to reach viral load suppression. The Mobilisation AIDS Suraksha campaign labels districts based on these metrics. Sangharshee means one or no targets met. Saksham means two. Surakshit confirms all three.
District teams have worked hard since February under the watch of local Deputy Commissioners. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Zothanpari Chhakchhuak gave credit to Deputy Commissioner Srinivas Sadi and the heavy lifting by local churches, NGOs, and community leaders. She noted, "Their participation had helped expand HIV testing and awareness activities across the district."
Maintaining this lead is the next hurdle. Chhakchhuak insists that early detection and steady treatment keep the virus from spreading further. Since October 1990, Mizoram has tallied 34,930 total HIV-positive cases. Data from the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society shows 6,439 people have died from the disease as of July. Currently, 29,217 patients have registered for therapy, with 26,382 already receiving the drugs.
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