AIZAWL, Jan 10: Despite significant improvements in HIV prevention measures, Mizoram continues 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 have said.
Between April 2024 and November 2025, at least 3,257 people, including 953 women and 179 pregnant women, tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after more than 1.4 lakh blood samples were examined, according to data released by health authorities.
The concerning figures come even as the state has shown notable progress in prevention efforts. Mizoram climbed from fifth position in 2024–25 to third place in 2025–26 in the national HIV prevention ranking, as per the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) scorecard, said Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) Project Director Dr Jane R Ralte.
“Mizoram has achieved immense progress on NACO’s scorecard in terms of preventive measures and response efforts. The number of new HIV infections has steadily declined since 2018,” Ralte said. However, she noted that the state still leads the country in adult HIV prevalence, with the highest incidence reported among people in the 25–34 age group.
Explaining the transmission patterns, Ralte said 70.4 per cent of new cases were sexually transmitted, while 27.3 per cent were due to sharing of needles among intravenous drug users. Parent-to-child transmission accounted for 1.8 per cent of cases, while 0.8 per cent were from unknown sources.
Health Minister Lalrinpuii said the state government has intensified efforts to curb the spread of HIV through multiple interventions. She said 14 antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres are currently operational across Mizoram, with 18,355 patients undergoing ART treatment.
The minister also said the government is exploring collaboration with churches to enhance awareness and promote voluntary HIV testing, particularly before marriage.
The first HIV-positive case in Mizoram was detected in October 1990. Since then, the state has recorded a total of 33,781 cases. Officials estimate that around 26,321 people are currently living with HIV in Mizoram, while at least 5,026 people have died due to AIDS-related complications since 2005, when ART treatment was introduced in the state.
