India is targeting HIV control by December 1, 2027, as part of Mission AIDS Suraksha, according to Rakesh Gupta, the Director General of the National AIDS Control Organisation. Gupta highlighted the importance of the Northeastern region in the national HIV response, with 60 high-priority districts located there. The review meeting in Guwahati kickstarted an intensive, region-focused action plan to accelerate progress in these districts.
The meeting, attended by officials from various states, aims to strengthen district-level planning and implementation strategies to meet national HIV control targets. Meghalaya is actively involved in the review, focusing on high-priority districts like East Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills. Eleven regional workshops are planned across the country to cover all 219 high-priority districts during February-March 2026.
District representatives are discussing customized strategies during the three-day meeting to help districts achieve Surakshit Plus status by meeting global HIV targets. These targets include ensuring that people living with HIV know their status, receive antiretroviral therapy, and achieve viral suppression. The meeting is conducting a thorough review of NACP implementation in the Northeast, focusing on district-level ownership and performance indicators.
Senior officials from State AIDS Control Societies and program leaders are participating in the review to develop actionable roadmaps tailored to each state’s epidemiological profile. The government is committed to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat and advancing the objectives of Mission AIDS Suraksha.
