SHILLONG, FEB 25: More than 10,293 people living with HIV are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Meghalaya as of January 2026, with the state recording the highest number of cases in the country.
The health minister Wailadmiki Shylla has announced sanctioning of Rs 25 crore for implementing the five-year targeted mission to check the alarming rise of HIV/AIDS cases in the state.
Replying to a question by NPP legislator from Gambegre Mehtab Chandee A Sangma in the Assembly on Wednesday, Shylla said deaths linked to the disease over the past decade reached 749 — with East Khasi Hills accounting for 435, followed by West Jaintia Hills (123) and East Jaintia Hills (90).
Smaller tallies were recorded in other districts, including Ri Bhoi (51), Eastern West Khasi Hills (16), West Khasi Hills (8), South West Khasi Hills (7), West Garo Hills (9), East Garo Hills (4), South Garo Hills (3), North Garo Hills (1) and South West Garo Hills (2).
“It is pertinent to note that all the reported deaths were attributed to opportunistic infections (OIs) and no deaths were reported as being directly caused by HIV/AIDS,” he said.
When Mehtab asked why infections were climbing, Shylla said, “The biggest challenge faced by the department — according to the HIV and AIDS (Preventive and Control) Act — is that HIV status has to be kept confidential and tests cannot be done without consent of the concerned person, and we cannot force people to take medicines,” he said.
“Above all, stigma is playing a big role, with people afraid to come forward for testing.”
Despite those constraints, he said the department is intensifying awareness campaigns to drive up treatment uptake.
“Nevertheless the department is trying its level best, and a lot of awareness programmes are being organized to increase treatment,” Shylla added.
He credited chief minister Conrad K. Sangma and the state cabinet for approving a five-year mission-mode programme to curb the “alarming rise” of HIV/AIDS.
“I am thankful to the chief minister and the state cabinet for passing and launching a five-year mission mode programme, and Rs 25 crore will be spent in the next five years to increase testing centres and manpower,” he told the House.
Voice of the People Party legislator from Nongkrem Ardent Basaiawmoit wanted to know whether the government would “fight this disease on a war footing” by working with churches to encourage testing and treatment.
Shylla replied that the state has sanctioned Rs 25 crore under a five-year targeted plan to expand outreach and care. He noted that the Assembly forum, chaired by the chief minister and the speaker, has met on the issue, adding that MLAs pooled contributions to donate a Bolero van for people living with HIV.
“Very soon we will again have this meeting and I urge all members to please urge citizens to come forward,” Shylla said.
“I want to inform that HIV is no longer a death sentence — though it cannot be cured, it can be treated so that they can live a very dignified life.”
On infrastructure, Shylla noted that Meghalaya has 392 standalone Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs) — including 10 in East Khasi Hills, 2 in Eastern West Khasi Hills, 1 in West Khasi Hills, 1 in South West Khasi Hills, 5 in Ri Bhoi, 3 in East Jaintia Hills, 5 in West Jaintia Hills, 2 in East Garo Hills, 5 in West Garo Hills, and one each in North Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills — along with 4 mobile ICTCs deployed statewide.
Mehtab urged the department to raise the number of centres in East and West Jaintia Hills, which have recorded significant mortality in official data.
Facing questions from Sohiong UDP legislator on how Meghalaya compares nationally, Shylla responded directly and said, “It is very unfortunate as Meghalaya is having the highest cases in India.”
Shylla noted that the National AIDS Control Organisation has sanctioned Rs 17.8 crore to the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society for 2025-26.
On the steps taken to combat HIV and AIDS, the health minister outlined the programme that include intensified awareness for the general public, high-risk groups, adolescents and vulnerable populations on transmission, prevention, testing and treatment availability, stigma and discrimination, the HIV/AIDS Act 2017, and social protection schemes through health talks, IEC materials, hoardings and social media; expanded screening, counselling and testing; care, support and treatment; targeted interventions; opioid substitution therapy (OST) centres; and a five-year targeted mission funded by the state in addition to support from NACO.
 in the Meghalaya as of January 2026, with the state recording the highest number of cases in the country.){kind=link}