Overview
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) held the Suraksha Sankalp Karyashala on 20 March 2026 in Delhi. The workshop targeted the 11 priority districts of Haryana and the 7 of Delhi, aiming to fast‑track the HIV response in line with national and global goals.
Key Developments
- Identification of 219 districts nationwide as priority for intensified HIV/AIDS interventions.
- Presentation of district‑level progress, challenges and formulation of outcome‑oriented action plans.
- Emphasis on a whole‑of‑system approach to bridge gaps in awareness, testing, treatment and adherence.
- Commitment to achieve the enhanced 95:95:95 (moving towards 95:95:99) targets before the next programme cycle.
- Specific focus on eliminating MTCT through universal antenatal screening and treatment.
Important Facts
• Delhi records an adult HIV prevalence of 0.33 % (≈ 59,079 PLHIV). Current treatment linkage stands at about 70 %, indicating a sizable gap.
• Haryana’s adult prevalence is 0.24 % (≈ 59,642 PLHIV) with a cascade of roughly 81:83:95 (diagnosis : treatment : viral suppression), showing better performance but still needing improvement in diagnosis and linkage.
• Priority districts in Delhi: North, New Delhi, Shahdara, Central, South East, South, North West.
• Priority districts in Haryana: Panipat, Rohtak, Sirsa, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Bhiwani, Hisar, Sonipat, Kaithal, Fatehabad.
• The workshop was chaired by Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary & Director General, NACO, who highlighted the need for data‑driven, evidence‑based interventions.
UPSC Relevance
The initiative illustrates the interplay of ART scale‑up, public‑health governance, and inter‑governmental coordination—core topics for GS 3 (Health) and GS 2 (Polity). Understanding the 95:95:95 framework helps answer questions on India’s commitment to global health targets and the challenges of programme implementation at the district level. The emphasis on eliminating MTCT aligns with discussions on maternal‑child health and ethical considerations in public‑health policy (GS 4).
Way Forward
• Strengthen data analytics and real‑time monitoring in the 219 priority districts.
• Accelerate community‑based testing and linkage mechanisms to raise diagnosis rates above 95 %.
• Expand ART centres and ensure uninterrupted drug supply to improve treatment retention.
• Intensify targeted outreach to key populations and vulnerable groups, reducing stigma and discrimination.
• Achieve universal antenatal HIV screening to eradicate MTCT by 2027.
By integrating these measures, India aims to declare HIV/AIDS an epidemic under control by World AIDS Day, 2027, and to meet the ambitious 95:95:99 milestones well ahead of the 2030 global target.