ARK Foundation proposes Governor’s award for HIV/AIDS workers

Dimapur, March 28 (EMN): Taking note on many genuine social workers who have sacrificed their entire life working for the cause of HIV/AIDS in the state, ARK Foundation has proposed the state Governor, P.B. Acharya to introduce Governor’s award for the outstanding contribution in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

In a press release, ARK Foundation president, Ketho Angami, stated that since the first HIV/AIDS case detection in Nagaland in the year 1990, the AIDS Prevention and Control program in the state has taken a gigantic step to tackle this health needs.

“Nagaland has been badly hit with the HIV/AIDS epidemic since more than 20 decades and new infection continues to occur despite various interventions of prevention, treatment and care. Our state, of the latest 2014-15 HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) continue to remain the highest in the country with a prevalence rate of 1.29% compared to that of the national average which is just 0.29%, while the adult prevalence rate in Nagaland stood at 0.73%. It is indeed a success story to mention about the drastic decline of HIV/AIDS prevalence amongst the Injecting drug users with an earlier reported rate of 39% to 2.26% (HSS 2014-15)” he stated.

Over the years, Ketho said we have come across many genuine social workers who have sacrificed their entire life working for the cause of HIV/AIDS in the state and through the NACO’s National AIDS Control Programs initiation; the HIV/AIDS has generated more than a thousand of employees (including the NGO Peer Educators) who works even on Holidays. He added that these workers can be considered as the AIDS sentry of the state trying to ensure that the state’s HIV/AIDS scenario can be addressed.

However, he said these unsung heroes continue to work with their sheer commitment as their driving force and without the state Government acknowledging their massive contribution.

Stating that there is still a great need to continue responding to prevention the epidemic and therefore, ARK Foundation opined that such an award will really boost the confidence, enthusiasm and commitment of the field workers and will go a long way in “getting to Zero – AIDS related deaths, discrimination and new infections”.

Therefore, the ARK Foundation stated that it would be highly appreciative if the Governor can initiate a Governor’s Award to such individual every year during the Republic Day celebration titled as “Award for Outstanding contribution in the field of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control”.

Further, it proposed that such a prestigious award been given to NGO sector working in HIV/AIDS will speak volumes of the government applauding the contribution of the workers.

For further deliberation, ARK Foundation informed governor that he may reach them at 9436400666.