• National AIDS Control Programme was launched in India in the year 1987.
The Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare has set up National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) as a
separate wing to implement and closely monitor the various components of the programme.
The aim of the programme is to prevent
• further transmission of HIV,
• to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection
• to minimize the socio-economic impact resulting from HIV infection.
The national strategy has the following components
• establishment of surveillance centers to cover the whole country; identification of high-risk
group and their screening;
• issuing specific guidelines for management of detected cases and their follow-up;
• formulating guidelines for blood bank, blood product manufacturers, blood donors and
dialysis units; information, education,
• and communication activities by involving mass media and research for reduction of
personal and social impact of the disease;
• control of sexually transmitted diseases; and condom programme
The package of services under NACP-IV are as follows:
1. Prevention services
• Targeted interventions for high-risk groups (female sex workers, men who have sex with
men, transgender/ hijras, injecting drug users) and bridge population (truckers and migrants)
• - Needle-syringe exchange programme and opioid substitution therapy for IDUs - Prevention
interventions for migrant population at source, transit and destination
• - Link worker scheme for HRGs and vulnerable population in rural areas -
Prevention and control of sexually transmitted
• infections/reproductive tract infections
• - Blood safety HIV counselling and testing services
• - Prevention of parent to child transmission
• - Condom promotion
• - Information, education and communication and behaviour change communication
• - Social mobilization, youth interventions and adolescence education programme
Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS response
• - Work place interventions.
2. Care, support and treatment services
• Laboratory services for CD4 testing and other investigations
• - Free first-line and second-line Anti-Retroviral Therapy
• (ART) through ART centres and Link ART Centres (LACs),Centres of Excellence (CoE) and ART
plus centres
• Paediatric ART for children Early infant diagnosis for HIV exposed infants and children below
18 months
• - Nutritional and psycho-social support through Care and Support Centres (CSC)
• HIV/TB coordination (cross-referral, detection and treatment of co-infections)
• Treatment of opportunistic infections
HIV surveillance
• Different types of surveillance activities are being carried out in the country to detect the
spread of the disease and to make appropriate strategy for prevention and control viz., area
specific targeted intervention is done especially surveillance is carried out at places of high
risk groups like red light area: prostitutes, drug and substance abusers, truck drivers etc.
The Types of surveillance are:
(a) HIV Sentinel Surveillance,
(b) HIV Sero-Surveillance,
(c) AIDS Case Surveillance,
(d) STD Surveillance,
(e) Behavioral Surveillance, and
(f) Integration with surveillance of other diseases like tuberculosis etc.
Integrated counselling and testing centres:
PREVENTION OF PARENT-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HIV (PPTCT)
The prevention of parent-to-child transmission of HIV/ AIDS (PPTCT) programme was started in the
country in the year 2002. The PPTCT services provide access to all pregnant women for HIV
diagnostic, prevention, care and treatment services. As such, the key goal is to ensure the integrated
PPTCT service delivery with the existing Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme.
MODEL OF HIV SERVICES.
It also runs a Link worker scheme: The Link worker scheme is a community-based outreach strategy
to address HIV prevention and care needs of High risk groups and vulnerable population in rural
areas.
Blood Transfusion Councils have been set-up at national and state levels. Professional blood
donation has been prohibited in the country since 1st January 1998. Only licensed blood banks are
permitted to operate in the country and voluntary blood donation is encouraged. As per national
blood safety policy, testing of every unit of blood is mandatory for detecting infections like HIV,
hepatitis B, hepatitis C, malaria and syphilis. Access to safe blood for the needy is the primary
responsibility of NACO.
Condom promotion: Condom promotion strategies will be strengthened through free distribution
and social marketing channels, non-traditional outlets, female condoms, etc. aided by an effective
communication strategy.
Information, education and communication
• Communication is the key to generating awareness on prevention as well as motivating
access to testing, treatment, care and support. With the launch of NACP-IV, the impetus is
on standardizing the lessons learned during the third phase. Communication in NACP-IV is
directed at:
a. To increase knowledge among general population (especially youth and women) on safe
sexual behaviour;
b. To sustain behaviour change in high risk groups and bridge populations;
c. To generate demand for care, support and treatment services; and
d. To make appropriate changes in societal norms that ·reinforce positive attitude, beliefs and
practices to reduce stigma.and discrimination.
