22-04-21 Daily-Odisha-OPSC Current Affairs

Besides, it was also supposed to reduce the adverse socio-economic impact resulting from HIV infection and to coordinate and strengthen STD, HIV, AIDS surveillance. But unfortunately, the functioning of OSACS is virtually in a shambles. Prevention is the best strategy of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and NACP-IV focuses on early detection and continued care and support to the high-risk vulnerable communities to prevent further infection in the Society.

These high risk populations includes Women sex workers, intravenous drug users, trans-sexual and transgender (TSTG), men having sex with men (MSM) and bridge Population like migrants and truckers.

In Odisha, high-risk prevalent districts such as Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Jharsuguda and Cuttack where targeted intervention project has failed because of closure of project owing to non-selection of implementation partners since 2015. The Central Government is providing nearly 1 crore annually for these seven districts which are unspent besides crores of other grants. The OSACS sought expression of interest many times but could not materialise it. In 2020 OSACS again invited expression of interest from various NGOs, but no proactive steps have been taken, which has put the fate of vulnerable community in jeopardy.