UNDER A.P. STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY
Arunachal Pradesh, located in the Northeastern most part of the country, is the largest state in the North East Region in terms of area. Its vulnerability factor varying from one district to another, number of population both high risk and bridge population, and further sharing of international border with China, Tibet, Myanmar and Bhutan in the western, northern and eastern part respectively and Assam, and Nagaland on the southern parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Large number of men – in – uniform guarding the entire international border without provision for keeping their women along with, certainly drives them to find someone from the locality itself. This engulfs the rural women in to vulnerability and task of prevention programme difficult and challenging as they remain unreachable.
Indian tribes constitute around 8.2 percent of nation’s total population, whereas Arunachal is predominantly tribal-populated State with more than 80 percent tribal population.
Arunachal Pradesh presents unique scenarios with regards to implementation of National AIDS Control Programme Phase –IV (NACP-IV). It is characterized by difficult and hostile terrain with high mountains, small population with lowest density, large geographical area (spread over 83,743 sq. km.) and 26 major tribes having distinctive language / dialect, culture, tradition, customs and variable livelihood. Due to its geographical isolation and communication bottleneck (transportation & tele.) movement from one district to another is very difficult and takes a lot of time, and further, large part of it remain cut off from the rest of the world during monsoon.
However, under the dynamic leadership, commitment and dedication, Arunachal Pradesh State AIDS Control Society, following the NACO’s directives and guidelines, had initiated and translated the HIV/AIDS intervention programme a reality one and currently implementing 20 Targeted Interventions in the state. Of which 4 interventions among FSWs, 2 IDUs + FIDUs, 1 MSM, 7 Core Composites (which included FSW+MSM; and FSW+MSM+IDU+FIDU) and 6 Migrants. On the whole, there are 14 Core TIs provide services to 5243 individuals from the four target communities (FSW/MSM/IDU&FIDU) and 6 Bridge population TIs covering 31000 Migrants.