The prevalence of HIV among Injection Drug Users in Punjab is as high as 21.10 per cent, Navreet Singh Kang, Union Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said here today.
Similarly, in Chandigarh it is 7.20 per cent, he said, adding that the average in both Punjab and Chandigarh is on higher side.
The harm reduction services for Injection Drug Users (IUDs) which advocate for Needle and Syringe Exchange Programme (NSP) and Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) are being implemented by the respective State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) in these states and the same needs to be strengthened and expanded so that every drug user can be reached.
"For this, it is very important that SACS and law enforcement agencies work in close collaboration so that maximum people can be reached and be benefitted from the harm reduction strategy," he said.
He was addressing a national AIDS Control Organisation workshop here on Enhancing Partnership between Law Enforcement Agencies and Civil Societies organisation for HIV prevention and control.
The workshop was attended by above 80 representatives including Officers of National AIDS Control Organisation, Govt of India, Department of Home Affairs, Law Enforcement agencies including Narcotics Control Bureau and Police, Civil Society Organisations and State AIDS Control Societies of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, an official spokesperson said.
Jagpal Singh Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Punjab, lauded the role of health department in containing the HIV epidemic in the State.
He said that the role of police force should not be restricted to the punitive aspect only, but it should also play an active role in the rehabilitation of the drug users.
While addressing the senior police personnel from Punjab, Chandigarh, and Haryana, he stated that the government will initiate district level sensitisation meetings to take the process forward.
