HT Correspondent
DIMAPUR, June 7: The reconstituted State Council on AIDS at its first meeting decided to provide policy direction to the HIV and AIDS programme in Nagaland.
The meeting, held under the chairmanship of health and family welfare minister P Paiwang Konyak in Kohima, also resolved to mainstream HIV and AIDS in all departments by considering it as a development challenge and not merely a public health problem, according to an official statement on Friday.
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It was also decided to have a multi-sectoral response to HIV and AIDS in the state in partnership with civil society organisations, industry and donors.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the health and family welfare, food and civil supplies, higher and technical education, rural development, transport, labour and employment, social welfare, law and justice and school education departments and SCERT.
The first body of the State Council on AIDS was formed on June 11, 2008 and it was reconstituted on June 22 last year.
During the meeting, minister Konyak emphasised the critical need to address drug use and addiction in the state and proposed the inclusion of the state home department in the State Council on AIDS for better coordination and support.
He stressed on the importance of early HIV testing and detection among pregnant mothers to initiate timely treatment and protect newborn babies from HIV.
Konyak also underscored the need for leveraging social media platforms and influencers for widespread dissemination of messages on HIV awareness.
He said the State Council on AIDS would have its regular meeting from time to time to provide political and administrative support at the highest level for HIV/AIDS response in the state.
