AGARTALA: In an alarming disclosure, the Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) has reported that 47 students have died from HIV in Tripura, and 828 have tested HIV-positive.
The grim statistics were disclosed by a senior TSACS official during a joint media workshop held on Friday.
A senior official of the TSACS said that so far, of the registered 828 students who are HIV positive, 572 students are still alive, and 47 have died due to the dreaded infection.
“Many of the students have migrated out of Tripura for higher studies in coveted institutions across the country,” the senior official added.
The TSACS has identified students from 220 schools and 24 colleges and universities who are involved in injectable drug use.
The data collection for this report was gathered from 164 health facilities across the state, covering almost all blocks and subdivisions.
As of May 2024, the total number of active HIV cases in Tripura stands at 8,729 registered individuals at Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) centres.
Among these, 5,674 people are reported to be alive, comprising 4,570 males, 1,103 females, and one transgender individual.
The official highlighted that, in most cases, the children who tested positive for HIV belonged to affluent families.
These families often had both parents working in government service and were usually quick to fulfil their children’s demands.
“Unfortunately, by the time parents realised their children had fallen prey to drugs, it was too late,” the official added.
The joint media workshop, where these details were shared, saw participation from key figures, including Project Director TSACS Dr. Samarpita Datta, Secretary Tripura Web Media Forum Abhisek Dey, President Tripura Journalist Union Pranab Sarkar, and other senior leaders of the Tripura Health Department.
This alarming rise in HIV cases among students calls for immediate intervention and awareness programmes to prevent further spread and to provide support to affected individuals and their families.
