A disturbing trend has emerged in Tripura, with a significant number of students testing positive for HIV. The Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) reported that, over the past 25 years, 828 students have been diagnosed with HIV, resulting in 47 deaths. While 572 students remain alive, many have moved out of Tripura to pursue higher education in renowned institutions across the country.
The TSACS has identified students from 220 schools and 24 colleges and universities who are engaging in injectable drug use. The agency collects data from various districts before releasing these statistics. The spread of the disease is primarily attributed to injectable drug use, particularly among students from affluent families. Officials have observed that parents, often employed in government positions, readily fulfill their children’s demands, leading to an unawareness of the children’s drug use until it becomes too late.
The Tripura government has clarified that the reported figures encompass a period of 25 years. While acknowledging the severity of the situation, the government emphasizes that a significant number of the infected students are still alive and have moved on to pursue further studies in prestigious institutions outside Tripura.
