RIMS hosts Regional TOT on "HIV Sentinel Surveillance & IBBS-PLHIV 2026"
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 26 2025: The Regional Training of Trainers (TOT) for "HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) among High-Risk Groups 2026 and the Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) among PLHIV 2026" began today at Sushruta Hall, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal.

The training programme, running from November 26 to 28, 2025, is organised by the Regional Institute for HIV Surveillance & Epidemiology (RI-RIMS), Imphal, in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

Trainers from the different North Eastern States, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura are participating in the Regional TOT.

As per a release issued by RIMS, the training aims to strengthen surveillance systems, enhance the capacity of statelevel trainers, and improve the quality of data collection for HSS and IBBS in the North Eastern region.

The programme was inaugurated by Prof G Sunil Kumar Sharma, Director, RIMS Imphal, in the presence of Prof Shantibala K, Head, Department of Community Medicine, RIMS Imphal; Prof H Rebachandra Singh, Head & Laboratory Director, Department of Microbiology, RIMS Imphal; and Prof H Sanayaima Devi, Department of Community Medicine and Focal Person, RI-RIMS Imphal.

In his address, Prof G Sunil Kumar highlighted RIMS as a leading institute with strong community medicine, microbiology, and HIV/MRT facilities.

Stressing the national importance of HIV surveillance, he urged trainers to uphold accuracy, ethics, confidentiality, and professionalism amid evolving behavioural patterns and post-pandemic challenges.

Reaffirming RIMS' commitment to research and community health.

Prof G Sunil Kumar encouraged active collaboration and wished the programme success.

The Regional TOT aims to enhance regional capacity for scientifically robust HIV surveillance and epidemiological research, thereby strengthening evidence-based public health planning and response across the region.

Comment