Dimapur, May 11 (EMN): HIV ombudsman for Nagaland and joint secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Ajit Kumar Ranjan, conducted a review meeting with the officials of Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) on the steps taken for dissemination of information and awareness regarding the rights of HIV affected persons under the provisions of the HIV/AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 in IDSP Hall at the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare on May 10.
An update from NSACS informed that the Act provides guarantee for safeguarding humanitarian and constitutional rights of individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and aims to ensure confidentiality and privacy of HIV affected persons, non disclosure of HIV status, non discrimination besides setting up the grievance redressal system for violation of the Act and also prescribed appropriate penalty.
It stated that the ombudsman has deliberated on the activities that were carried out and suggested for more dissemination of the Act in the districts and more importantly at the districts level.
It informed that seventy nine complaints officers have been designated by various departments and establishments under the state government in compliance with the Act to protect the HIV affected persons at the workplace. It added that the details of complaints officers have been uploaded on the website of the ombudsman.
It informed that complaints/ grievance forms could be downloaded from https://nsacs.nagaland.gov.in/hiv-aids-pc-act-2017/. It added that any person could lodge a complaint by email on hivombudsman.ngl@gmail.com, or contact phone no. 0370 2270047.
Report further stated that Medo Kire, DD (M&E), NSACS, has briefed the ombudsman on the HIV epidemic profiles of Nagaland. The review meeting was attended by project director and programme officers of the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society.