A three-day regional DISHA programme workshop begins in Tripura to strengthen district-level HIV/AIDS prevention, focusing on integrated planning, substance abuse control, early screening, ART delivery and inter-state collaboration among Northeast health officials.
A three-day regional training workshop under the Health Ministry’s DISHA (District Integrated Strategy for HIV/AIDS) programme commenced here on Tuesday with the aim of formulating district-wise integrated action plans for HIV/AIDS prevention.
Organised by the Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS), the in-depth training workshop is being attended by officials of State AIDS Control Societies from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Tripura.
The workshop was inaugurated by West Tripura District Magistrate Dr Vishal Kumar, who, in his inaugural address, stressed the need to take social awareness initiatives to the grassroots level for the success of HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. He underlined the importance of behavioural change among drug users, their identification and rehabilitation, and ensuring doorstep delivery of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) to people living with HIV/AIDS. Dr Kumar also emphasised effective planning as a key component of the DISHA strategy.
Addressing the gathering, Tripura State National Health Mission Director Saju Wahid A said that, as part of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, tackling substance abuse among youth is crucial to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. He called for collective efforts to protect the younger generation for the progress of society and the nation, adding that the exchange of experiences and solutions among officials from different states would help achieve the objectives of the workshop.
Family Health India Team Leader S.K. Hari Kumar and National Programme Manager (CB Project, FHI India) Jimreevs Kirubakaran also addressed the participants, sharing insights on programme implementation and best practices.
TSACS Project Director Dr Binita Chakma said the state is placing increased emphasis on HIV/AIDS screening to improve early detection. She informed that Tripura aims to raise the number of screenings from two lakh last year to four lakh this year, alongside continuing statewide awareness campaigns on a sustained basis.
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The vote of thanks was delivered by TSACS Assistant Project Director Dr Amit Debbarma. Among others present at the inaugural session was NHM Tripura Member Secretary Dr Souvik Debbarma.
Experts from different parts of the country are conducting training sessions on various aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention during the workshop, which will continue throughout January 29 and 30. Speakers appreciated the Tripura State AIDS Control Society for organising the large-scale programme, while TSACS officials and staff are overseeing the smooth conduct of the event.
