MoU signed to address risk of HIV transmission among all substance users

The MoU was signed by Additional Secretary, DoSJ&E Ms. Upma Srivastava and Special Secretary & Director General (NACO & RNTCP), MoH&FW Shri Sanjeev Kumar in the presence of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed here today between the Department of Social Justice, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO,) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The MoU was signed by Additional Secretary, DoSJ&E Ms. Upma Srivastava and Special Secretary & Director General (NACO & RNTCP), MoH&FW Shri Sanjeev Kumar in the presence of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan. Minister of State for SJ&E Shri Ratan Lal Kataria and Minister of State for H&FW Shri Ashwini Kumar Chaubey. Secretary, M/o SJ&E Smt. Neelam Sawhney and Secretary, M/o H&FW Smt. Preeti Sudan was also present.

Salient points of MoU are as follows:

Inclusion of target groups of NACO and National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) in the programs of NAPDDR & NACO for awareness generation. 

Enhanced linkages and effective co-ordination between Injecting Drug Users Targeted Intervention (IDUs-TI) supported by NACO and Integrated rehabilitation center for Addicts (IRCAs) supported by DSJE. 

Create awareness and educate people about the ill-effects of drugs abuse on the individual, family, workplace and the society at large and reduce stigmatization of and discrimination against, groups and individuals dependent on drugs in order to integrate them back into the society; 

Develop human resources and build capacity in order to strengthen the service delivery mechanisms for drug addiction treatment. 

Developing a welfare scheme aiming at social inclusion and empowerment of Transgender which face extreme social alienation enhancing their vulnerability to HIV and drug abuse. 

Address the risk of HIV transmission among all substance users through preventive risk reduction messaging on HIV/STI and linkages with Integrated Testing and Counseling Centre (ICTC) and other services. 

Working towards empowerment of discriminated and vulnerable groups like victims of HIV/AIDS, victims of drug abuse, female sex workers, Persons engaged in Begging and transgender by nurturing a supportive and congenial environment which promotes human development by safeguarding human rights of all, providing social protection and rendering psycho-social care. 

Include female sex workers and transgender as a target group for social defense and drug addicts as a target group for NACO. 

Reduced incidence of social stigma and discrimination again victims of drug abuse and Children and People Living with HIV/AIDS through program education setting.

(With Inputs from PIB)