Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 21 (EMN): With a total registered 6187 People Living with HIV (PLHIV) as in August 2017, Dimapur district topped the list with 2583 members followed by Kohima in second with 1175 members, while Zunheboto district was the least with 182 members.
This was disclosed by Vihaan programme officer, Shan Ezung, during an advocacy programme organised by Network of Naga People Living with HIV/AIDS (NNP+) held at LCS building, Kohima, on Thursday.
According to the data, Dimapur has the highest number with 2583 members followed by Kohima in second with 1175 members and Zunehboto at the least with 182 members.
Shan Ezung said Vihaan is a national programme for extended care and support for PLHIV. The programme is aimed at improving the survival and quality of life of PLHIV.
He said the goal of Vihaan is to render early linkages of PLHIV to care support and treatment services, improved treatment and education for PLHIV, expand positive prevention activities, improve social protection and well-being of PLHIV, strengthen community systems, and reduced stigma and discrimination.
The linkages to social welfare schemes till August 2017 such as Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), Nagaland Building and Other Construction Workers Scheme (NBOCW), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), Financial Assistance to Destitute Women, BPL Card, National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) etc stood at 411 beneficiaries and linkages to entitlement till August 2017 was 174. It was also reported that there are 843 beneficiaries under Local Resource Mobilization till August 2017.
Vihaan which means “dawn’s first light” symbolises a ray of hope in the lives of PLHIV. The programme is under the strategic guidelines of NACP-IV funded by Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) under the design of CST-NACO, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
Representatives from the Department of Science & Technology, Department of Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Integrated Child Protection Society and Nagaland State AIDS Control Society also spoke at the meeting.