Tripura's Struggle: A Decade of AIDS and Drug Challenges

Tripura has seen 512 AIDS-related deaths from 2015 to 2024. With over 10,000 HIV-positive cases, the state is intensifying its health efforts. Opioid substitution therapy and counseling centers are expanding, amidst a crackdown on narcotics with significant drug seizures. Concerns grow over drug trafficking from Myanmar.

Tripura has reported a concerning rise in HIV cases and AIDS-related deaths over the last decade, with 512 fatalities recorded between 2015 and 2024. The northeastern state is intensifying its efforts to combat these issues, said Chief Minister Manik Saha.

Addressing assembly members, Saha revealed that over 10,000 residents were HIV-positive by 2023. Initiatives, including opioid substitution therapy and integrated counseling centers, have been launched across the region to address the health crisis.

This response comes amid a larger crackdown on the state's drug trafficking problem, with significant seizures made and thousands arrested. Steps are being taken to bolster law enforcement efforts against drugs smuggling from neighboring Myanmar.

(With inputs from agencies.)