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"Connecting Care, Combating HIV, Changing Lives"
The Link Worker Scheme (LWS) is a national program in India that aims to provide HIV prevention, care, and testing services to populations at high risk.
Mizoram HIV Statistics at-a-glance
Updated up to March, 2025
HIV Positive Detected
Total number of HIV Positive detected since October, 1990. More than 500 detected are foreign nationals.
Started ART
Total number of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) who have started ART treatment
PLHIV Dead
Total number of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) dead since 2005.
Source: https://mizoramsacs.org
Objectives
The LWS aims to:
- Provide information and skills on HIV/AIDS, gender,
- sexuality, and STIs to vulnerable men and women in rural areas
- Increase the use of condoms
- Establish referral and follow-up linkages for services like HIV care, TB treatment, and STI treatment
- Reduce stigma and discrimination against PLHA and their families
Activities:
The LWS includes:
- Training Zonal Supervisors, Cluster Link Workers and other stakeholders on HIV/AIDS, gender, sexuality, and STIs
- Establishing condom depots, with Link Workers, sometimes functioning as condom depots themselves
- Establishing Red Ribbon Clubs and Information Centres in villages
- Referring TB suspect cases to RNTCP units for screening
- Collecting sputum samples from cluster link workers and transporting them to the nearest DMC
- Providing family counseling and ensuring that patients are put on treatment
About LWS in Mizoram
The Link Worker Scheme (LWS) is part of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), which began in 1992. In 2009, the scheme was introduced in Mizoram's Champhai district, located in the far east bordering Myanmar. At the time, Champhai had the highest HIV prevalence among Mizoram's eight districts. HIV had been first detected in Mizoram in 1990, but its spread escalated rapidly, turning the state into the most HIV-prevalent in India. Recognizing that HIV had deeply penetrated rural areas while most services remained concentrated in towns and cities, the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) designed and launched the LWS to curb further spread, provide treatment, and ensure access to essential services.
The scheme is currently operational in 8 out of the 11 districts in Mizoram.
Our involvement
Ferrando Integrated Women Development Centre has been entrusted with implementing the scheme in Aizawl district since 2010 and in Lunglei district since 2020 (December) and in Saitual District since October, 2025 under the aegis of the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society.
Each district team is headed by a District Resource Person who has 4 supporting staff and 20 Link Workers placed in rural areas.