IMPHAL, Nov 3: Due to stigma and discrimination People Living with HIV are not coming forward to take benefit of various social protection schemes, Dr. Naresh Goel, Deputy Director General (IEC & Mainstreaming and LS) National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) said.
He was speaking during the inaugural function of a one day workshop on DACPU led Single Window Model on Social Protection for People living with HIV (PLHIV), Children affected by AIDS (CABA) and Most at Risk Population (MARPs) at the Classic Hotel Imphal today.
This issue needs to address and that is why HIV sensitive social protection is one of the key objectives for National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) phase IV, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Bitra George, Country Director, Family Health India (FHI 360) said that there are certain diseases which needs attention beyond medical needs. And HIV is one of such disease that needs social, economic and psychological help, he observed.
He further said that, Most at Risks Population (MARPs) have issues of non-linkages to social protection schemes due to stigma and discrimination. It is for this reason that NACO wants PLHIV, CABA and MARPs to access these schemes at national and state level, he added.
Speaking about accessing social protection schemes, Pradeep Kumar Jha, Project Director, Manipur State AIDS Control Society said, that only accessing few schemes like social welfare schemes, rural development schemes and Food Security Act can make huge differences in the lives of PLHIV, CABA and MARPs.
Representatives from all the 9 District AIDS Prevention Control Unit (DAPCU) and one representative from Tripura AIDS Control Society participated the workshop. The workshop was jointly organized by NACO, FHI 360 and UNDP and supported by Manipur State AIDS Control Society.