Over 800 students were found HIV positive in this state of India, 47 died; The big reason came to light

A disturbing news is coming from a state of India. According to a report released on HIV, so far 828 students have been found HIV positive in Tripura, while 47 students have died due to this dreaded disease. According to a senior official of the Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS), “So far we have found 828 students HIV positive. Out of these, 572 students are still alive and we have lost 47 people due to this deadly disease. Many students have gone out of Tripura to study in prestigious institutions across the country for higher education.”

Tripura AIDS Control Society has identified 220 schools and 24 colleges and universities where students are found to be injecting drugs. “So far, 220 schools and 24 colleges and universities have been identified where students have been found to be addicted to intravenous drug injection. We have collected data from a total of 164 health facilities across the state. Reports are collected from almost all blocks and sub-divisions before making this presentation,” Joint Director of TSACS told ANI.

Main cause of transmission: Needle sharing
HIV/AIDS is a significant global health problem closely linked to intravenous injection drug abuse. Needle sharing among drug users is a primary route of HIV transmission, allowing the virus to spread through blood-to-blood contact. In many regions, this behaviour accounts for a large proportion of new HIV infections. Contributing factors include hazardous injection practices, limited access to sterile needles, and marginalization of drug users. Sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment increases the risk of HIV transmission manifold, as the virus can survive outside the body in residual blood.

What is the way to prevent this?
Efforts to tackle this issue include harm reduction strategies, such as needle exchange programs, which provide sterile equipment to drug users to reduce the risk of infection. These programs also provide counseling, testing, and referrals to addiction treatment services, which aim to prevent HIV transmission as well as address drug use disorders.