AP Constitutes High-Power Panel To Combat AIDS Challenge

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Government has further strengthened the institutional mechanism to control AIDS in the State with the formation of an 18-member high power council with Chief Secretary as Chairman. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has approved a proposal of the Ministry of Health, Family Welfare & Medical Education in this regard.

The new Andhra Pradesh State Council to oversee control HIV/AIDS will enable policy decisions, effective implementation of AIDS control programmes through regular monitoring and assessment of the outcomes, resource mobilisation and better implementation of progarmmes through inter-departmental coordination and encouraging community participation.

Officials said the council will meet regularly for overseeing the progress of fight against AIDS. It 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 broad-based council is required to provide proper leadership to the implementation of AIDS control measures in the State through regular review meetings.

The 18-member council will have Special Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of various important ministries/departments like Health, School Education, Higher Education, Women & Child Development, Panachayati Raj & Rural Development, Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Youth Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture, Transport, Roads & Buildings.