Kohima
At least 50 per cent drug addicts in Nagaland are injecting drugs users (IDU) and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS transmission, the latest report compiled by an NGO has revealed. Nagaland, which has an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 drug users, has the fifth highest number of them in the country, the report compiled by Bethesda Youth Welfare Centre, Dimapur, said.
According to the report, which is based on studies conducted by government agencies including NACO and NGOs in 2009, out of 35,000 to 40,000 drug users, 18,000 to 20,000 are injecting drug users and exchange of needles among them is one of the major routes of HIV/AIDS transmission. These findings presented at “Convergence Workshop on Drug Abuse Prevention” at Dimapur yesterday called for a coordinated and concerted effort from all stakeholders to tackle the problem of drug abuse in Nagaland.
The workshop sponsored by National Institute of Social Defence, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with Regional Resource and Training Center, North East-II was attended by various NGOs, field based organisations and educational institutions.
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Source: in.news.yahoo.com
