The three day National Conference on Research in HIV & AIDS, organized by National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) has begun here today. The conference is to review and identify bottlenecks in HIV & AIDS research in India.

According to organizers, the national event provides a forum for sharing innovative ideas and to discuss various aspects of research in HIV&AIDS. The conference is expected to stimulate research in the area of HIV/AIDS. One of the expected outcomes of the conference is to identify the research gaps, prioritise the research and formulate strategies accordingly, they said.

About 700 delegates are participating in the event which focuses on three major areas like Communications, Behavioural and Social Sciences Research, Biomedical Research and Programmes Research.

The Conference is to take stock of cutting edge HIV/AIDS research in India and to identify gaps and problems. It is to provide a platform for sharing and stimulating innovative and multi-disciplinary research ideas. The event will also be utilized as an occasion to stimulate capacity in the country in areas like proposal writing, research methodology, reporting research work, and presentations at International conferences.

India has the second largest estimated number of persons infected with HIV. It also has one of the largest and most complex National HIV Control Programmes in the world trying to protect 1.1 billion people from the ravages of this epidemic. The NACO, 38 AIDS Control Societies, hundreds of NGOs, Blood Banks, and Hospitals actively
participate in this initiative.

Skill building sessions during the conference are being organized by NARI, TISS, JNU, and Population Council. Satellite sessions are being organized by Population Council, NARI, INP+ and IIHMR. Agencies and companies like Clinton Foundation, B & D, SNS Foundation, West Bengal SACS, NIS Sparta, Roche Diagnostics and Population Council are also having their presence felt in the conference.