A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on August 26, 2019 between the Department of Social Justice, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO,) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The government said that there has been more than 80 per cent decline in new HIV infection cases in the country since its peak in 1995. The global average of decline in new infection is estimated at 47 per cent.
Salient points of MoU are as follows:
- Inclusion of target groups of NACO and National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) in the programmes of NAPDDR & NACO for awareness generation.
- Enhanced linkages and effective co-ordination between Injecting Drug Users Targeted Intervention (IDUs-TI) supported by NACO and Integrated rehabilitation center for Addicts (IRCAs) supported by DSJE.
- Create awareness and educate people about the ill-effects of drugs abuse on the individual, family, workplace and the society at large and reduce stigmatization of and discrimination against, groups and individuals dependent on drugs in order to integrate them back into the society;
- Develop human resources and build capacity in order to strengthen the service delivery mechanisms for drug addiction treatment.
- Developing welfare scheme aiming at social inclusion and empowerment of Transgender which face extreme social alienation enhancing their vulnerability to HIV and drug abuse.
- Address risk of HIV transmission among all substance users through preventive risk reduction messaging on HIV/STI and linkages with Integrated Testing and Counseling Centre (ICTC) and other services.
- Working towards empowerment of discriminated and vulnerable groups like victims of HIV/AIDS, victims of drug abuse, female sex workers, Persons engaged in Begging and transgender by nurturing a supportive and congenial environment which promotes human development by safeguarding human rights of all, providing social protection and rendering psycho-social care.
- Include female sex workers and transgender as target group for social defence and drug addicts as a target group for NACO.
- Reduced incidence of social stigma and discrimination again victims of drug abuse and Children and People Living with HIV/AIDS through programme education setting.
National AIDS Control Organization (NACO)
- National AIDS Control Organization is a division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that provides leadership to HIV/AIDS control programme in India through 35 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Societies.
- In 1986, following the detection of the first AIDS case in the country, the National AIDS Committee was constituted in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- As the epidemic spread, need was felt for a nationwide programme and an organization to steer the programme.
- In 1992 India’s first National AIDS Control Programme (1992-1999) was launched, and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) was constituted to implement the programme.
