Port Blair, July 21: The A&N AIDS Control Society (ANACS) organized “First Meeting of Joint Working Group for Youths, NGOs, Government, Private and Public Sector Organisations” on Thursday in the seminar room of Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya. The meeting was attended by the representatives from Dept. of Shipping Services, Information Technology, Social Welfare, Sports & Youth Affairs, NYKS, NGO Prayas, Butterflies, Steps-Aid India and also representatives from all Training and Higher Education Institutes under A&N Administration. The meeting was conducted under the leadership of Dr. R.K. Halder, Project Director, A&N AIDS Control Society.
The main objective of the meeting was to understand the Memorandum of Understanding that had been signed between different Ministries and National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) at National level and to discuss on how it can it be implemented at ground level. Other than Health interventions, HIV prevention programme needs to be focused through multi-sectoral interventions. The main roles and responsibilities of different Departments, Private and Public Sector Organizations to prevent the spread of new HIV infection, reduce the vulnerability of young women and migrants, introduction of HIV related risk reduction activities at their campus, promotion of blood donation among youth, reduction of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV was the main focus of discussion.
The meeting was coordinated by Dr. Jahanara Yasmeen, Deputy Director (IEC) and Mr Girish Kumar, Assistant Director (SPM), ANACS.
