By IANS,
New Delhi: Members of the civil society and community groups from the northeast met Thursday to prepare recommendations for the fourth phase of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), delegates of advocacy group Centre for Advocacy and Research said here.
“We have made interventions for the NACO (National Aids Control Organisation) for laying down the next policy. The recommendations are from all the experience that has been gathered in the last decade with our work for the community,” said a social activist from NGO Sharan.
The National AIDS Control Programme Phase IV will define the national policy for HIV/AIDS control over the next five years.
The first of the consultations which began in Guwahati for the northeast region will be followed by consultations in Delhi for north India, Pune for west India, Kolkata for east India and Bangalore for south India.
“If the rich experience of community is not taken seriously and comprehensive programmes are not worked out for an array of drug users, including under-served groups like female drug users, during the next phase of the programme, it would be difficult to halt the epidemic let along reverse it,” said Raj Kumar Raju, working with a community group for the HIV positive.