NNagaDAO urges activation of State AIDS Council to tackle HIV, drugs and health crises in Nagaland.
Share
DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Network of Drug and AIDS Organisation (NNagaDAO), the apex body of NGOs and CBOs working in the field of drugs and HIV & AIDS in Nagaland, has requested the Government of Nagaland to immediately activate the State AIDS Council and the Committee of Concern.
In a press release, the NNagaDAO stressed that the state must take decisive political leadership in addressing the intersecting crises of substance use disorder, HIV, TB, viral hepatitis, and STIs, while intensifying the fight against stigma and discrimination.
While NGOs and community-led organisations often deliver the most effective services to key populations, it maintained that these groups must be meaningfully engaged in all level; planning phases of public health strategies, rather than being treated merely as implementers.
“We are calling for a collective, urgent, and sustained response,” stated NNagaDAO.
“The state government must take Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) into confidence. We need to plan together as equal partners to prevent a significant setback in public health and to accelerating forward movement is engaging diverse community stakeholders across multiple sectors through coalition-building, and working with them to leverage local wisdom, strategically address barriers at the system, to improves the delivery of and increases uptake and ensure sustainability.”
The organisation also emphasised that the state government adopt an integrated health approach.
Also read: All Nagaland Pre-Service Teachers' Association raises concern over lack of open teacher recruitment
PBPF backs NLTP Act, warns against rollback; slams Centre over ‘religious imposition’
By aligning services for substance use disorder, HIV, TB, hepatitis, and STIs with primary healthcare, the state can improve access, efficiency, and quality of care, it stated.
It went on to state that organising services around the holistic needs of the person—rather than specific disease workflows—is essential for ensuring long-term health and dignity.
Furthermore, the NNagaDAO urged the government to take the initiative in implementing modern prevention and treatment tools, including adopting long-acting injectables such as Lenacapavir and Buprenorphine to ensure treatment adherence and help individuals become productive members of society.
“Currently, fragmented financing and disease-specific workflows limit the continuity of care. NNagaDAO advocates for a streamlined system that ensures easy access to diagnostics and quality treatment for all,” it added.
The NNagaDAO affirmed that it serves as an issue-based advocacy platform to address the collective concerns and needs, related policies and programme matters concerning drugs and HIV & AIDS in Nagaland.