‘Corporate has greater role in tackling AIDS’

The Odisha State AIDS Control Society (OSACS) is preparing an action plan on care,  support, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS by February 28 next year to work more closely with corporate players who are already engaged in initiatives in the field like establishment of corporate ART centres.

 The OSACS stressed increased collaboration with the private sector in preventing and tackling HIV/AIDS in the State at the national conference on ‘HIV/AIDS: Challenges and Opportunities, Partnerships in Prevention, Care, Support and Treatment’ organised by CII here on Monday.

 The conference was held under the aegis of CII-India Business Trust for HIV/AIDS project ‘Scaling up care, support and treatment services for HIV in India’.

 The meet sought to highlight the importance of partnerships between businesses, government agencies and civil society through shared infrastructure, human resources and innovative PPP models.

 Inaugurating the conference, Health Minister Damodar Rout called for proper strategies to prevent spread of HIV and AIDS. There is need for collaborative efforts to free the most vulnerable population of the disease and associated dangers.

 Apart from communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and TB, non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer are taking a heavy toll on the population. There should be effective strategies and implementation of programmes to combat the menace, he said.  Consulting surgeon of Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Dr Arun Ranade emphasised on programmes on PPP mode and shared success stories of such initiatives. He also  cited the tripartite partnership between CII, NACO and Reliance Industry on HIV/AIDS programme.

 Among others, Senior Programme Manager, Population Fund of India, Md Raza Ahmed, Project Director, OSACS, Dr Pramod Meherda, DGM, Adani Mining, Smruti Priyadarshini and former chairman of CII, Odisha, Amarendra Dash spoke.