More than 5,600 people have died of AIDS in Mizoram since the state recorded its first HIV case in October 1990, according to the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS).
Speaking at a World AIDS Day programme on Monday, MSACS project director Jane R. Ralte said a total of 33,641 people have been infected with HIV in the state so far. She noted that while the cumulative toll remains high, the death rate has continued to decline owing to improved medical care and wider access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
Between April 2024 and October 2025, 3,117 new HIV-positive cases were detected, including 911 women and 167 pregnant women. Ralte said sexual transmission accounted for 70.03% of all infections, while 27.3% were linked to intravenous drug use through shared needles. Mother-to-child transmission made up 1.8%, and 0.74% were from unknown sources.
Among sexually transmitted cases, 53.3% were contracted from regular partners or spouses, 34.3% from non-regular partners, 7.7% from homosexual or same-sex intimacy, and 2.5% from commercial partners. The state currently operates 14 ART centres, including four in Aizawl.
Addressing the event, Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama said the government was taking sustained measures to curb HIV incidence. Presiding over the programme, Health and Family Welfare Department principal director Dr Lalthlengliani highlighted the state’s progress in treatment and urged renewed community involvement to strengthen prevention efforts.
