The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has suggested setting up of a working group to devise effective state specific strategies to combat AIDS in the country. He said that the smaller group would help in establishing a partnership between ministries to contain this malady.

Addressing the first meeting of the National Council on AIDS he said that a more tolerant and more civilised attitude needs to be developed within the society towards people afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

Welcoming the gathering, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister for Health and Family Welfare said that in certain states due to wide spread incidence of AIDS, income levels have come down by twenty per cent. He said that the Red Ribbon Express would be launched soon to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS.

Ramadoss said that the government aims at setting up VCTC in all primary health centres. There are nearly 950 VCTC centres and 4000-5000 more such centres will be added during the next two years.

The National Council on AIDS (NCA) was constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in June last year with the Prime Minister as its chairman. The main objective of the NCA is to prevent the spread of HIV and facilitate a strong multi-sectoral response to combat it effectively.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare is the vice chairman of the NCA which consists of thirty-one Union Ministers, seven chief ministers and representatives from civil society and private sector. Three out of seven chief ministers representing the states are from the high prevalence states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Nagaland, one from moderate prevalent state of Gujarat and one each from the three highly vulnerable states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The NCA is expected to meet at least once every year.

Panabaka Lakshmi, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, proposed a vote of thanks. Several cabinet ministers and chief ministers and health ministers of various states participated in the NCA meeting. Three children afflicted by HIV/AIDS who had come from Tamil Nadu met the Prime Minister.