GUWAHATI: The World AIDS Day event at Srimanta Sankaradeva International Auditorium in Guwahati, Assam, was inaugurated by Union Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Prof. SP Singh Baghel, and Assam Minister of Health and Family Welfare Keshab Mahanta. The event witnessed a gathering of over 1500 participants, including representatives from states, people living with HIV (PLHIV) communities, NGOs, CSOs, development partners, and youth.
Aligned with the theme of World AIDS Day 2023, “Let Communities Lead,” Prof. Baghel underscored the programme's continuous efforts in generating evidence to assess its impact in a rigorous technical and scientific manner. The government's engagement of communities in advocacy, service provision, awareness, and counselling to promote safe behaviours and community-based testing was highlighted..
The event featured the release and launch of several important documents, including the 5th edition of the flagship report SANKALAK, India HIV Estimates 2022: Technical Report, NACO Calendar 2024, National Communication Strategy, Laboratory Technical Guidelines on Early Infant Diagnosis for HIV-Exposed Infants, Prevention Progress Update 2022-23, and Research Compendium Volume-I.
Cultural and musical performances from Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, and Assam focused on HIV and STI themes, aiming to engage and educate the general audience. Stalls displaying programmatic achievements and the latest interventions were set up at the venue, providing valuable information.