Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 4: Chief Secretary Madhav Lal has reiterated the need for a sustained campaign against HIV/AIDS as per National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) guidelines.
The Chief Secretary was addressing the 10th Governing Body Meeting of J&K State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (JKSACS) to review the implementation of the AIDS Control Programme here today. He said that though J&k falls under low prevalence group of States, yet there are certain high risk groups which need focused attention for preventing new infections.
Madhav Lal called for close coordination with health institutions and directed strict adherence to the prescribed procedures and tests for screening blood for ensuring blood safety. He called for a vigorous campaign of mass awareness besides installation of hoardings at prominent places across the State.
The Governing body decided that Medical Superintendents of district/ sub-district hospitals will be nodal officers for HIV/AIDS awareness, training and supervision of facilities and District Tuberculoses officer as nodal officer for monitoring the HIV/TB collaboration at district levels.
The Project Director J&K State AIDS Prevention & Control Society J&K Dr. Rakesh Khajuria informed that on the basis of HIV Sentinel Surveillance the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in J&K is static and under control. He said that apart from existing 6 Targeted Intervention projects to prevent new infections, 3 new projects have started covering truckers and injection Drug Users (IDUs). Moreover, two Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) services for IDUs, one each at GMC, Srinagar and Jammu will be made functional by October, he added.
He informed that 35 Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre (ICTC) services are functional at different tertiary/district level hospitals and further 12 facilities ICTCs at identified SDHs/CHCs are in the process of being established. Two Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) Centres one at SKIMS Srinagar and another at GMC Jammu are providing care, support and treatment to HIV patients, he added.
Eighteen (18) Sexually Transmitted Disease (STI) Clinics in different districts across the state besides 9 STI clinics in Targeted Intervention projects are functioning in the State, Dr. Khajuria said, adding that as many as 20 NACO supported Blood Banks are functioning in the State.
Issues pertaining to the functioning of JKSACS, its financial progress and work done report, scheme for regular financial assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS, New Targeted Intervention projects, training of staff etc were also discussed during the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Finance, M.I.Khanday, Principal Secretary Planning and Development B B Vyas, Secretary Health M K Dwivedi and other senior officers.
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