Morung Express News
Dimapur | December 1
The HIV demographic in Nagaland is reportedly making a shift from the traditional “high-risk groups” to formerly “at-risk population.” “HIV positivity is slowly shifting from the high-risk group… to the at-risk population who do not identify with the high-risk group but are involved in risky behaviors,” revealed Dr Keveduyi Theyo, Mission Director, Health and Family Welfare at a programme in Dimapur commemorating World AIDS Day 2025 on December 1.
The district-level event was organised by the District Integrated Strategy for HIV & AIDS, Dimapur, in collaboration with Sshakti CSC 2.0, District Level Network, Targeted Intervention NGOs and Development Partners. Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response is the theme for 2025.
Dr Theyo called for stronger community effort to bring the state’s HIV prevalence rate below a public health threat and work towards achieving the SDG Goal 3, Target 3.3 by 2030. Citing India HIV Estimates 2023, he said that Nagaland has the second highest adult (15–49 years) HIV prevalence at 1.37 percent, after Mizoram, in the country. The national average is tipped at .21 percent.
Meanwhile, alleged fund cuts, disruption to HIV prevention services strained healthcare systems, and rising stigma have threatened the progress made over the years. “It reminds us that the global fight against HIV and AIDS stands at the crossroads, but we must not retreat,” said.
According to him, this year’s theme seeks to address the prevailing bottlenecks, and the need for a renewed approach to achieve the goal of ending HIV and AIDS by 2030.
He added that the theme calls a human rights-centered approach, including international cooperation, sustained political leadership, securing long-term financial support, protecting healthcare systems, ensuring accessibility to HIV services, removing legal and social barriers, and empowering communities to lead the response.
He asserted that the endeavour against HIV and AIDS demands committing to compassion over stigma, ensuring universal access to care for the most vulnerable, and fostering a unified front among governments and communities.
According to Robin Kithan, General Secretary, Dimapur Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (DNP+), World AIDS Day is not merely a commemoration, but a call to bridge the gap between scientific progress and social reality. He said that while treatment exists, it remains dangerously inaccessible in low-income regions, threatening to undo years of progress. He said that the fight against HIV requires a united front to ensure that treatment reaches everyone, everywhere.
DNP+ President, Moa framed HIV as a manageable reality, which is contingent on consistent medication, or, provided one takes the ART medication as advised. He advocated for ‘status’ disclosure as a necessary act of courage to access care, insisting that resilience can outlast discrimination.
