Comprehensive HIV/AIDS care is a holistic approach for meeting the need of HIV positive individuals. These needs are identified and met by cross-cutting disciplines ranging from medical care to social support as one discipline alone can not effectively meet all the needs.

The concept of comprehensive HIV/AIDS care across the continuum of prevention and care provides HIV/AIDS care services as a range that includes voluntary counselling and testing, clinical management of symtomatic infection, nursing care to relieve the physical discomfort of illness, hygiene and infection control promotion, palliative and terminal care, training of family members in home care, preventive education and condom promotion.

Awareness and knowledge as understand by NACO is enhanced if we share and disseminate complete and accurate information about all the known routes of HIV transmission, dispel the myths and misconceptions about how HIV is not transmitted, bring in a judicious mix of messages on A (abstinence from early sexual debut, drug abuse and all forms of risky behaviour etc), B (be faithful in monogamous relationships), C (use of condom for protection) as a life time approach and pursue a balanced and holistic multimedia blitzkrieg.

Issues surrounding stigma and discrimination are compelling. Stigma is a powerfully discrediting or tainting social label that radically changes the way individuals view themselves, or are viewed by others. However, the irony is that the existing HIV testing facilities are under utilized because of the stigma surrounding HIV.

There exists a conspiracy of silence in HIV/AIDS as it is seldom openly discussed, even in heavily affected areas. Increasing awareness is a necessary first step towards reducing stigma and discrimination. Increased awareness about HIV should overtime lead to sustained behaviour change. NACO sees this goal as central to its response to HIV/AIDS as a tool for prevention.

In fact, AIDS is increasingly affecting young people in the sexually active age group. The majority of HIV infections (87.7%) are in the age group 15-44 years. To attain maximum 100% awareness level among the youth and those in the reproductive age group and the availability of all relevant information which will improve access to prevention, care and support is of utmost importance for prevention of HIV/AIDS.

In addition, awareness to promotion of correct and consistent 100% condom use among the general population other than life partners and to infected ones in particular, will lead to significant success in lowering the spread and prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country. NACO want to ensure that those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, play a central role in all responses to the epidemic, at state levels, at district levels and at the grass roots.

NACO stands committed to upholding the dignity of every such person. NACO envisions a day when India will showcase that 'enabling environment' which has been the leitmolif of programming for HIV. NACO will work to motivate men and women towards sustained behaviour change.

NACO continues to encourage people to access voluntary and confidential counselling and testing centres to seek information on the sero-status and to access accurate information on HIV as an effective tool for prevention of HIV/AIDS in the country. NACO's new initiative in forging newer public-NGO-private partnerships may well become the beginning of a movement across the country, to contain, curb and fully eliminate the spread of the HIV virus.

At the core of this programme lies a deeply ingrained sense of social responsibility. We, all of us, aim to reduce the spread of HIV infection in the country and to strengthen India's respon-se to HIV/AIDS on a long term basis.

NACO works closely with NGOs and CBOs across the country through its 38 State AIDS Control Societies (SACS), and finds that these partnerships have served to multiply reach and effectiveness dramatically. Pulling in one direction and aligning inputs have demonstrated tangible results in building awareness and motivating safer practices and behaviour patterns.

While it appears that the numbers of people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing, we believe that our very NACO's comprehensive programme on prevention coupled with care and support has made a significant impact. In some pockets, the rate of increase is coming down and we need to push that trend. The existing national HIV adult prevalence rate of 0.91% is deemed stabilised if it is always below 1%.

It is evident that the epidemic has the potential to affect all countries and all population groups. Majority of all HIV/AIDS infected people are living in developing countries, which have to cope with the huge burden of suffering and deal where the epidemic is having a devastating effect on the social, economic and political development of the country as a whole.

However, we can prevent HIV/AIDS in our country in ways that have stood the test of time. Most importantly sustained behaviour change will prevent the spread of HIV infection. Nowadays, there are ways in which people living with the virus can live relatively long, healthy and productive lives if they know about their HIV status and take personal care.

It is true that early detection and diagnosis of HIV followed by proper medical treatment, care and support increases the chance of living longer and better, healthy and productive lives for those who test HIV positive. The vision will significantly reduce the barriers of stigma associated with HIV and will make a significant impact on prevention of HIV/AIDS in our country.

Therefore, in view of a responsible civil society and in our joint effort to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in our State in particular and in our country as a whole, we should develop awareness/habits for voluntary blood test for HIV at this moment of time and maintain safe and responsible behaviour in order to avoid any risk to our lives and to others through infection and transmission since 90% of those living with the virus do not know about their status and yet the irony is that this fragile HIV virus can take an individual a family and indeed the country, on a trajectory of loss if the infection goes unimpeded. Indeed, knowledge, protection and safe behaviour can keep us away from HIV/AIDS.

— Concluded

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