Govt convenes ‘Suraksha Sankalp Karyashala’ to accelerate district-level HIV response

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare convened the ‘Suraksha Sankalp Karyashala’ here to strengthen district‑level HIV/AIDS response, focusing especially on Haryana and Delhi, according to an official statement on Friday.

The workshop, organised by the National AIDS Control Organisation, brought together district program teams to present progress, share operational challenges and develop action plans to strengthen the HIV response at the grassroots level, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in the statement.

The ‘Suraksha Sankalp Karyashala’ provides platform for collaborative planning between national, state, and district stakeholders to improve linkage and retention on treatment, enhance viral load suppression among people living with HIV, and expand targeted outreach among vulnerable and key populations.

“Deliberations during the workshop are centred on strengthening programme implementation through enhanced inter-sectoral convergence, capacity building, and robust monitoring mechanisms, with particular emphasis on early diagnosis, prompt initiation of treatment, sustained adherence to ART, and the elimination of stigma and discrimination,” the statement noted.

Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary and Director General, NACO, referring to the globally endorsed ’95:95:95 targets’, elaborated the vision that 95 per cent of all people living with HIV are aware of their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed are on sustained Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression — thereby substantially reducing transmission and improving health outcomes.

Haryana has achieved a ratio of approximately 81:83:95, reflecting encouraging progress, while also signalling the need for intensified efforts to improve diagnosis and treatment linkage.

Gupta noted that Delhi continues to face critical gaps, with only around 70 percent of identified individuals currently linked to or receiving treatment, highlighting the urgent need to accelerate treatment coverage and retention.

He underscored that AIDS continues to pose a significant public health challenge, necessitating sustained vigilance, innovation, and coordinated action across all tiers of governance.

The ministry informed that 219 districts across the country have been identified as priority districts for intensified interventions, of which 11 are in Haryana and seven in Delhi.

Delhi currently records an adult HIV prevalence of 0.33 per cent, with an estimated 59,079 people living with HIV, while Haryana has an adult HIV prevalence of 0.24 per cent, with an estimated 59,642 people living with HIV.

—IANS

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