Aizawl, Jan 10: Mizoram has emerged as one of the top-performing states in HIV prevention, securing third place in the national ranking for 2025–26, despite continuing to record the highest adult HIV prevalence rate in the country at 2.75 per cent, far above the national average of 0.20 per cent, officials said.
According to Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) Project Director Dr Jane R. Ralte, the state has made steady progress in reducing new HIV infections over the past several years, reflecting the impact of sustained prevention and response measures implemented under the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). Speaking on January 9, Ralte said Mizoram’s performance on NACO’s scorecard has improved significantly, with new HIV cases showing a consistent downward trend since 2018.
However, the overall disease burden in the state remains a major concern. Between April 2024 and November 2025, at least 3,257 people tested HIV positive from more than 1.4 lakh blood samples screened during this period. Among those who tested positive were 953 women and 179 pregnant women, with the highest number of cases reported in the 25 to 34 age group, highlighting continued vulnerability among young adults.
Health officials noted that Mizoram detected its first HIV-positive case in October 1990. Since then, the cumulative number of reported cases has reached 33,781, with an estimated 26,321 people currently living with HIV in the state. Since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2005, at least 5,026 people have died due to AIDS-related complications.
Data from MSACS indicate that sexual transmission continues to be the primary mode of infection, accounting for 70.4 per cent of new cases detected between April 2024 and November 2025. Sharing of needles among intravenous drug users contributed to 27.3 per cent of infections, while 1.8 per cent were due to parent-to-child transmission and 0.8 per cent were attributed to unknown causes.
State Health Minister Lalrinpuii said the Mizoram government is strengthening its response through a range of targeted interventions aimed at prevention, early detection and treatment. She said 14 ART centres are currently operational across the state, providing treatment to 18,355 patients.
The minister also indicated that the government is exploring collaboration with churches to expand awareness campaigns and promote HIV testing among couples before marriage. Given the strong influence of religious institutions in Mizoram, such partnerships are seen as a crucial step in addressing stigma, encouraging testing and further reducing new infections in the state.
