Tripura: HIV Kills 47 Students, 828 Test Positive; Drug Abuse Cited As Primary Cause | Details Inside

In an alarming report, 47 students have died due to HIV while 828 students have tested HIV-positive in the state of Tripura.

Addressing a media workshop organized jointly by the Tripura Journalist Union, Web Media Forum and Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS), officials said, "We have so far registered 828 students who are HIV positive. We have lost 47 people due to the dreaded infection. Many of the students have migrated out of Tripura for higher studies in coveted institutions across the country."

Tripura HIV cases: Overall scenario in numbers

Elaborating the situation in the northeastern state, Joint Director of TSACS shared a statistical presentation of the overall scenario of HIV.

According to him, "So far, 220 schools and 24 colleges and universities have been identified where students are found to be addicted to intervenous drug abuse. We have collected the data from a total of 164 health facilities across the state. Reports are collected from almost all the blocks and subdivisions before making this presentation."

"Till May 2024, we have registered 8,729 people in the ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) centres. The total number of people who are alive with HIV is 5,674. Among them, 4,570 are males, while 1,103 are females. Only one patient among them is a transgender", a senior official added.

Tripura HIV cases: Drug abuse cited as primary cause

In the report, drug abuse has been cited as the primary cause behind the spread of the HIV infection. TSACS data suggested that the 828 students who have tested positive, are from 220 schools and 24 colleges-universities and it has been revealed the students took injectible drugs. 

Holding intervenous drug abuse accountable for the HIV cases a senior official said, "In most of the cases, the children belong to affluent families who are detected positive to HIV. There are families where both parents are in government service and don't hesitate in fulfilling the demands of the children. By the time they realize that their children fell prey to drugs, it was too late."

As per the data, the situation is alarming as 5-7 cases are being reported each day.