Agartala, February 27, 2026: The three-day Suraksha Sankalp Karyashala under Mission AIDS Suraksha concluded in Guwahati on Friday, with a strong emphasis on intensifying district-level HIV response strategies in Nagaland and Tripura, two key Northeastern states facing distinct epidemiological challenges.

Addressing the concluding session, Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary & Director General of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, reaffirmed the national resolve to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat. “India has set a clear target to achieve HIV control by December 1, 2027. Every high-priority district must translate this commitment into measurable outcomes aligned with the 95-95-99 targets,” he said.

Deliberations on the final day focused extensively on 15 high-priority districts in Nagaland, which records an adult HIV prevalence of 1.37 per cent and an estimated 24,000 people living with HIV. Districts including Chumoukedima, Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung and Tuensang, among others, were reviewed in detail. Officials stressed the need for micro-planning, robust surveillance systems and deeper community engagement to convert epidemiological insights into time-bound action.

In Tripura, discussions highlighted the growing challenge of Injecting Drug Use (IDU). The state has an adult HIV prevalence of 0.39 per cent, with around 11,000 people living with HIV. Seven districts—Dhalai, Gomati, Khowai, North Tripura, South Tripura, Unakoti and West Tripura—were assessed for tailored interventions. The workshop underscored scaling up peer-led targeted interventions, expanding Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST), strengthening early diagnosis, improving ART linkage, and ensuring sustained viral suppression through better treatment adherence.

Dr. Nupur Debbarma, MD of National Health Mission Tripura, shared insights on addressing IDU-related vulnerabilities and enhancing service delivery in high-burden districts.

Over the three days, the workshop reviewed 60 high-priority districts across the Northeast. The outcomes are expected to translate into clear, district-specific action plans, reinforcing the Government of India’s sustained commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat.