- By JE News Desk
- Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:14 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A crucial Joint Working Group meeting focused on bolstering collaborative efforts against HIV/AIDS in Haryana was held today at Hotel Red Bishop, Panchkula. The meeting was Chaired by Dr Manish Bansal, Director General of Health Services, Haryana. Dr Sukhvir Singh, Project Director of the Haryana State AIDS Control Society (HSACS), Ram Kumar Sharma, Joint Director (IEC) other officers of HSACS along with representatives from various government departments were present at the meeting.
Dr Bansal, DGHS, requested that representatives from different departments share their welfare schemes for People Living with HIV/AIDS, and he commended their collaborative efforts in raising awareness of this important issue.
Dr Sukhvir Singh briefed attendees on the program, highlighting the National AIDS Control Organization's (NACO) 18 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with various Central Government Ministries and Departments, 15 of which are specific to Haryana. These MoUs provide a framework for mainstreaming HIV prevention activities across diverse sectors.
The annual meeting served to review the implementation of these MoUs, expand the scope of activities, and ensure effective dissemination of information to maximize reach. Key objectives include increasing HIV testing rates, providing comprehensive social welfare schemes for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and Most at-risk populations, and ultimately, achieving an HIV and AIDS-free future for Haryana.
Dr Singh emphasised the Haryana Government, Health Department, and HSACS’s commitment to this cause. He cited significant progress, including free HIV testing at 104 ICTCs, free Anti-Retroviral Therapy through 22 ART Centers and 5 FIART centres, and Financial support of Rs. 2250 per month provided to PLHIVs.
Youth-focused initiatives include the Adolescence Education Programme in 3399 Senior Secondary Schools, 369 Red Ribbon Clubs in universities, colleges, and ITIs, and the Out of School Youth program through 40 Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan.
Prevention programs are also being implemented through 43 NGOs and 15 OST centres for High-Risk Groups, including Men having Sex with Men, Female sex workers, transgender individuals, and Intravenous Drug Users.
Recognizing that HIV/AIDS is a complex socio-economic challenge, Dr. Singh called for concerted efforts from all departments and organizations to implement activities as per the MoUs. These include:
Nominating a Nodal Officer for coordination.
Designating a Complaint Officer under the HIV/AIDS (P&C) Act 2017.
Integrating sensitisation sessions into existing training programs.
Including HIV prevention messages in printed and publicity materials.
Conducting IEC activities on HIV prevention during events.
Displaying the toll-free number 1097 and Teach AIDS movie information on websites.
Promoting HSACS’s social media presence (Facebook: @sacsharyana, Twitter and Instagram: @haryana_sacs).
Promoting the NACO AIDS App.
Discouraging social stigma and discrimination.
Sharing advance plans and reports with HSACS.
Encouraging prominent sportspersons to become HIV prevention Brand Ambassadors.
The meeting facilitated discussions on collaborative strategies to strengthen HIV prevention, including sensitizing employees and target populations, enhancing social protection for PLHIV and high-risk groups, and sharing insights to improve the collective response.
Dr Singh expressed confidence that through collaborative work, shared expertise, and commitment, a significant impact can be made in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Haryana.