New Delhi, March 20: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of India organized a Security Resolution Workshop through the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) on Friday in New Delhi. This workshop is part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at strengthening district-level responses to HIV/AIDS, with a special emphasis on collaboration between Haryana and Delhi. The event was chaired by Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary and Director General of NACO.
During the workshop, Dr. S.P. Bhavsar (PHS Group-I, NACO) outlined the evolving epidemiological patterns of HIV in India. He emphasized the necessity of micro, district-driven strategies based on robust data analysis, targeted outreach, and a strengthened service delivery framework.
Dr. Gupta stated that HIV/AIDS remains a significant public health challenge, requiring continuous vigilance, innovation, and coordinated action at all levels of governance. Referring to the globally accepted 95:95:95 targets, he clarified that the goal is to ensure that 95% of people living with HIV are aware of their status, 95% of diagnosed individuals receive ongoing antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression—leading to a substantial reduction in transmission and improved health outcomes.
He pointed out that Delhi still faces serious gaps, with only about 70% of identified individuals currently receiving or being linked to treatment. This highlights the urgent need to accelerate treatment coverage and retention processes. In contrast, Haryana has achieved an encouraging ratio of approximately 81:83:95, indicating significant progress but also the need for intensified efforts to improve diagnosis and treatment engagement.
Dr. Gupta stressed the importance of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, which can occur during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. He advocated for strengthening antenatal screening and ensuring universal access to preventive services to guarantee that no child is born with HIV through timely testing, counseling, and treatment.
He noted that 219 districts across the country have been prioritized for intensive management of HIV/AIDS, with 11 located in Haryana and 7 in Delhi. Currently, the adult HIV prevalence rate in Delhi stands at 0.33%, with an estimated 59,079 individuals living with HIV, while Haryana’s rate is 0.24%, affecting approximately 59,642 individuals.
Under this targeted approach, specific districts have been prioritized for robust program implementation and intensive monitoring. In Delhi, the identified districts include North Delhi, New Delhi, Shahdara, Central Delhi, South East, South Delhi, and North West Delhi. In Haryana, the prioritized districts are Panipat, Rohtak, Sirsa, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Hisar, Sonipat, Kaithal, and Fatehabad.
District program teams from these areas actively participated in the workshop, presenting their progress, sharing operational challenges, and collaboratively developing targeted, outcome-oriented action plans to further strengthen the ground-level HIV response.
Dr. Gupta called upon all stakeholders at the national, state, and district levels to work closely together to address existing gaps in awareness, testing, treatment, and compliance, particularly at the grassroots level.
He also outlined an ambitious and time-bound roadmap, reiterating India’s commitment to declaring HIV/AIDS a controlled epidemic by World AIDS Day 2027. In this context, he emphasized the importance of making solid efforts to achieve the advanced targets of 95:95:99 in the upcoming program cycle.
The Security Resolution Workshop serves as a crucial platform for collaborative planning among national, state, and district stakeholders, reinforcing India’s coordinated, evidence-based, and data-driven approach to HIV prevention and testing services. Its aim is to improve treatment engagement and continuity, enhance viral load suppression among people living with HIV, and expand targeted outreach among vulnerable and key populations.
This initiative aligns with India’s commitment to achieving the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, reflecting the government’s determination to ensure a comprehensive, inclusive, and people-centered approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and control, thereby ensuring equitable access to quality health services for all.
My name is Himanshu Tiwari. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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