HIV/AIDS is everyone's responsibility-the first meeting of NCA

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

The issue of mainstreming may be properly facilitated now in view of the

enthused responses from all the members of the National Council on AIDS(NCA) in

its very first meeting held in the Parliament House Annexe on 16th

February,2005.

The National Council on AIDS(NCA) is a 54 member body headed by the Prime

Minister of India as its Chairman.The Vice-chairperson is the Union Minister of

Health and Family Welfare.The cabinet ministers of 29 union ministries

,Dy.Chairman,Planning Commission,Chief Ministers of 7 states and 15 CSOs are the

other members.

The main functions of the NCA are to mainstream IV/AIDS issue in all ministries

and departments by considering it as development challenge and not merely a

public health problem, to lead the multi-

sectoral response to HIV/AIDS in the country with special referenceto youth and

the work force and to review the inter-sectoral commitment.

The CM of Gujarat was represented by the Health Minister of Gujarat(Mr.Ashokbhai

Bhatt) and the APD,Gujarat SACS(Dr.Rajesh Gopal).The collaboration with milk

cooperatives(Amul etc.) and PDS(welfare

basket with ORS,iron tablets,chlorine tablets etc being made freely available at

all fair price shops(about 18,000)in Gujarat was shared by the Minister.

I am personally delighted see that the slogan coined by me in 2004(HIV/AIDS is

everyone's responsibility)is being recognized more stongly and we all are

ensuring a concerted response to reverse the epidemic.

Dr.Rajesh Gopal

Gujarat State AIDS COntrol Society,

Ahmedabad,Gujarat

Rajesh Gopal <dr_rajeshg@...>