Dibrugarh first in Assam to get 'Surakshit District' status on HIV

Dibrugarh has become the first district in Assam to attain "Surakshit District" status under the National AIDS Control Programme, The Assam Tribune reported on Saturday.

The district is the first of Assam's six identified high-priority districts for HIV to meet all three of the 95-95-95 targets, as shown on the Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) dashboard of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).

What 95-95-95 means

The 95-95-95 targets are the global benchmark for the HIV response. They aim for:

• 95% of all people living with HIV to know their status;
• 95% of those diagnosed to be on antiretroviral therapy (ART); and
• 95% of those on treatment to have a suppressed viral load.

When people on treatment have a suppressed viral load, they stay healthier and the chance of passing on the virus drops sharply. Meeting all three targets is therefore seen as a major step towards controlling transmission.

What the MAS dashboard tracks

Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha is NACO's operational framework to speed up India's push to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Its dashboard tracks district-level progress on testing, treatment and viral load.

The Dibrugarh district administration credited the District AIDS Prevention and Control Unit (DAPCU), staff of the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs) and the ART Centre, health workers, partner departments and community groups. Their work on wider testing, early treatment and community outreach led to the milestone, according to the report.

HIV in the North East

The region has some of India's highest HIV prevalence rates. Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur are consistently among the top states in NACO's estimates, and Meghalaya this week launched a five-year HIV mission with Rs 25 crore as cases rise. Assam's overall prevalence is lower, but the state has flagged high-priority districts for closer monitoring.

Free testing and helpline

HIV testing and treatment are free at all government health facilities. People can call the National AIDS Helpline at 1097 for information, guidance and counselling.