Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu gives the nod for constitution of 18-member council to oversee control of AIDS in Andhra Pradesh

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu gives the nod for constitution of 18-member council to oversee control of AIDS in Andhra Pradesh. It is aimed at strengthening the ongoing efforts to control HIV/AIDS, says Health Minister Satya Kumar.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has approved the proposal of the Department of Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education to constitute a 18-member council to oversee control of HIV/AIDS in the State.

The proposal came from Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education Y. Satya Kumar Yadav, who noted that a council, with members from different departments, would contribute to the strengthening the ongoing efforts to control HIV/AIDS.

The new council, with Chief Secretary as its Chairman, would enable policy decisions, effective implementation of AIDS control programmes through regular monitoring and assessment of the outcomes, resource mobilisation, and better implementation of the progarmmes through inter-departmental coordination and encouraging community participation.

According to an official release, the council aims at 100% enrolment of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), Most At Risk Population (MARP), Children Affected By AIDS (CABA), and ensuring proper disease preventive and post-disease treatment protocols, besides their inclusion in various social protection schemes.

The council is required to provide proper leadership to the implementation of AIDS control measures in the State through regular review meetings.

The council comprises Special Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of various departments such as Health, School Education, Higher Education, Women and Child Development, Panachayati Raj and Rural Development, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Youth Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture, Transport, Roads and Buildings.

Representatives of the affected people, representatives of civil society organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations will also be a part of the council. Project Director, Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society, will be the member-convenor.