Imphal, July 21 2009: HIV infection rate among the high risk groups, except among the female sex workers, is decreasing in Manipur.

High Risk groups are intravenous drug users, female sex workers, men having sex with men.

Health Minister Pheiroijam Parijat said this while replying to a question raised by opposition MLA Dr I Ibohalbi of Manipur People's Party in the assembly session today.

The MLA wanted to know the reasons behind the increase of infection among the female sex workers.

Minister Parijat said, it is because of the increasing number of female sex workers in the state.

Dr Ibohalbi also drew the attention of the House to the reports of security personnel harassing female sex workers frequently.

The Health Minister assured the member that he will look into the matter in consultation with the Chief Minister.

He said, the infection rate among the high risk groups has been reduced to 17.9 % in 2007 which was around 76 % in 1997.Similarly it has been reduced from 29 % to 16 % among men having sex with men during the said period though it increased from 12.8 % to 13 % among the female sex workers.

According to the National AIDS Control Organisation's latest sentinel survey and estimation figures, Manipur which has as many as 30,000 HIV positives, became the second Indian state having very high HIV prevalence among female sex workers after Maharashtra (17.91 %) .

On the question of infection rate of HIV among the general population in Manipur, Minister Parijat said,"The estimated adult HIV infection rate (prevalence) was 1.67 % in 2006 and reduced to 1.57% in 2007.The result of 2008 is awaited".

Regarding the specific intervention programmes taken up by the NGOs for the infected mothers and children, the Minister informed the House that the programme is prevention of parent to child transmission.

A total of 18 NGOs (two each for 9 districts) are working under the programme of prevention of parent to child transmission in the state.

Those NGOs working under Manipur State AIDS Control Society (Macs) include 57 in targeted interventions, six at community care centres, four each at drop in centres and telephone counseling.

The Health Minister also disclosed that 36 persons are on second line Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) and seven are awaiting laboratory report (resistance report).

There are seven ART centres across the state.

They are located at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, J N Hospital in Imphal,one each in Thoubal, Bishnupur, Ukhrul and Chandel district headquarters and two at Churachandpur district headquarter including one run by Sans Frontier, an NGO.

Meanwhile, official sources said HIV epidemic in the North Eastern states of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland continues unabated.

In 2006, HIV seropositivity among pregnant women was 1.39%, 1.36% and 0.94% in Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram respectively.

Although HIV prevalence among IDUs in Manipur has declined over the years, all four IDU sentinel surveillance sites in the state still have HIV prevalence of more than 10% .

In addition, HIV prevalence among sex workers appears to be increasing in Nagaland and Mizoram.

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