The Division Bench of the High Court of Tripura, consisting of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Arindam Lodh, has issued notices to the state and Central governments, seeking comprehensive reports on the rising HIV cases in the state. This action follows a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) initiated suo-moto by the high court based on a letter from Justice T. Amarnath Goud, which highlighted the seriousness of the situation.
The governments have been given two weeks to submit their reports. The PIL was prompted by alarming reports of an ominous increase in HIV cases and deaths, particularly among students and youth. In response, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha convened a meeting with AIDS Control Society officials to assess the situation.
The court expressed grave concerns about the escalating HIV cases in Tripura, a bordering state, emphasizing the need for regular identification of new cases and prompt actions. The high court has also sought explanations from the governments regarding the reasons behind the surge in HIV cases, the current measures in place, and strategies to prevent students from injecting drugs intravenously, a significant factor in the spread of the disease in Tripura.
Between April 2007 and May 2024, 828 students were registered as People Living With HIV (PLHIV), with 47 deaths over the 17 years. Samarpita Dutta, Project Director of the Tripura State AIDS Control Society, reported that 67 people, including two students, died in 2022-23 due to HIV, and 44 deaths were recorded in 2023-24. Presently, Tripura has approximately 8,000 known HIV-positive cases. However, experts believe this number is only a fraction of the actual cases, as many remain untracked.
Tripura recorded its first HIV case in 1996, and since then, there has been a significant increase in infections, especially among high-risk groups such as youths using intravenous drugs, female sex workers, truck drivers, migrants, and gay people.
