A high-level advocacy meeting of the Joint Working Groups on HIV/AIDS was convened today by the J&K AIDS Control Society (JKACS) at the Conference Hall, Government Gandhinagar Hospital, Jammu.

The meeting was held under the guidance of Project Director, JKACS, Dr. Jehangir Bakshi. Discussions and deliberations focused on strengthening coordination and cooperation among participating departments for the prevention and control of HIV in Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior officers from partner departments attended the meeting, including Parveen Kumar, Additional Secretary, Home Department, J&K; Kartar Singh, Additional Secretary, Rural Development and PRI Department, J&K; Shahid Mahmood Dar, Additional Secretary, Labour Department, J&K; and Manoj Kumar Pandita, AIG Trainings, PHQ, J&K, etc.

The agenda of the meeting included rolling out Memoranda of Understanding signed at the national level between NACO and various ministries at the Union Territory level, review of collaborative activities for HIV/AIDS prevention and control, inclusion of social protection schemes for people living with HIV and planning for the next financial year in collaboration with stakeholders.

The meeting was followed by an orientation lecture on the HIV/AIDS Act, 2017, for the officers.

The meeting was also attended by Dr Tabasum Firdous, Deputy Director (Headquarters); Madan Lal, Chief Accounts Officer, JKACS; Dr Monika Dulloo, Deputy Director (CST), JKACS; Dr Osmani Suaida, Assistant Director (IEC/Mainstreaming), JKACS; Dr Malooqa, Medical Officer (STI), other officers and officials of the J&K AIDS Control Society.

Later, a felicitation function was held during which mementoes were presented to dignitaries and officials from the participating departments.