Imphal, May 15: The border town of Moreh is really hit hard by the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

Out of 73 persons who underwent HIV tests since December last year till April this year, an alarming 34 cases, including seven females were found positive.

The tests were conducted under the facility of Voluntary Confidentially Counselling and Testing Centre provided by Manipur Aids Control Society (MACS) through Community Care Centre (CCC) of Moreh.

According to a report, out of 73 persons who underwent HIV tests, 55 are residents of Moreh while 18 others belong to other places.

Other NGOs working under MACS refer to CCC for HIV tests, mentioned the report.

In April, 15 persons including three women were checked for HIV during which nine including the three women were found to be positive.

The facility of VCCTC was extended to Moreh through CCC after the centre was inaugurated by deputy director of MACS Dr G Pramod Kumar on December last.

Moreh being strategically located at the border with Myanmar and several people from differnt places visiting the town in addition to being in the direct route of drug smuggling and illegal trades, the town is prone to high rate of HIV infection.

At the 10 bedded community Care Centre, apart from treating AIDS patients, all other people are also being treated here with the help of staff and nurses of Moreh Hospital, said Counsellor of CCC N Thoiba.

In addition to the drugs provided by MACS, other essential drugs are purchased by the centre and administered to the patients, informed Thoiba.

He also conveyed of hardships in running the centre as most of the drug addicts in Moreh are illiterate having meagre source of income frequently resulting in severe communication gap.

In the face of any NGO that works exclusively for women, there has been an increasing trend of HIV infection among women in Moreh.

In all the HIV tests conducted during the past five months, cases of HIV infections have been steadily increasing, he observed.

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