Workshop to strengthen district-level HIV response in Vijayawada on March 18

The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, will convene a programme named ‘Suraksha Sankalp Karyashala’ in Vijayawada on March 18 (Wednesday) as part of its intensified nationwide push to strengthen district-level HIV response.

According to a press release, the programme will bring together Health Secretary Saurabh Gaur, Commissioner G. Veerapandian, Andhra Pradesh State AIDS control Society Project Director K. Neelakanta Reddy, District Collectors, Additional District Collectors, District Medical and Health Officers and District AIDS Control Officers to review progress and chart the way forward for HIV control in the State.

The programme is part of Mission AIDS Suraksha, a national initiative through which NACO is engaging with priority States one after another to accelerate action in districts contributing significantly to the country’s HIV burden. The workshop will be chaired by NACO Additional Secretary and Director General Rakesh Gupta.

Andhra Pradesh, which currently has an adult HIV prevalence of 0.58 per cent, with an estimated 3,10,451 people living with HIV, was identified as a key State, with focus being laid on 23 districts. The districts are Anakapalli, Anantapur, Annamayya, Bapatla, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, East Godavari, Eluru, Guntur, Kakinada, Krishna, Kurnool, Nandyal, NTR, Palnadu, Prakasam, Srikakulam, SPSR Nellore, Sri Sathya Sai, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari and Y.S.R. Kadapa.

District programme teams will participate in the workshop to present their progress, highlight challenges and develop targeted action plans to further strengthen the HIV response on the ground, according to the press release.