Poor economy, ethnic conflicts make North East HIV/AIDS prone

Aizawl, Feb 22 (UNI) Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) has suggested to initiate an inter-state collaborative intervention to reduce the risk of flesh trade across North East as well as to arrest growing threat of HIV/AIDS in the region.

A joint report of AusAID and National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) revealed that long due modification of school AIDS Education Programme and lack of motivation in designing awareness initiatives as well as inadequate provision for women friendly HIV testing are main reasons for the spread of AIDS among backward communities in the region.

Economic insecurity and ethnic conflicts have also been indentified as major factors for high incidence of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Deseases (STD) in Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Asom.

The report expressed concern over the reach of AIDS awareness activities, and stated inspite of all out efforts of the authorities, it was still limited to district headquarters and capital cities.

Though NE states together account for less than three per cent of India's population, the states are home to about 30 per cent of the Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs) in the country.

''NE states still continue to be troubled by secessionist movements and inter-ethnic rivalry, seeking more autonomy and the sporadic conflicts have not only plagued the overall development of the states but have increased the vulnerability to the diseases by causing dislocation of women and forced many to resort to sex work'', the report stated. The conflicts have also negatively impacted upon HIV/AIDS program by disrupting ongoing intervention.

The number of females per 1000 males in Mizoram and Asom is 933 while in Nagaland it is 909. This difference has also been responsible for irregulating sex activities among the male population, report added.

On the other, all the five states have characteristic tribal inhabitant composition with distinct social traditions and having poor economy despite a variety of economic concessions given by the Union Government. it has failed to fuel development, the report underlined.

The low level of agricultural productivity, poor infrastructure and lack of opportunities for employment leading to poverty had increased the vulnerability of local populace to HIV/AIDS.

The vulnerability of women and children largely seemed to centre on food, security and health care. The large scale influx from Bangladesh and Myanmar to northeastern states has added to the complexity due to interface between poverty, migration and sex trade.

The report suggested a comprehensive HIV intervention at the inter state and international borders like Moreh in Manipur, Champhai in Mizoram, Dimapur and Tuensang in Nagaland, Silchar in South Asom and Agartala and Sonamura in Tripura was needed, as these were the hot-spots of narcotic business and cross border movements.

UNI