Metro India News | AMARAVATI

The Andhra Pradesh government constituted an 18-member council headed by Chief Secretary K Vijayanand to strengthen institutional mechanisms for AIDS control. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approved the Health Ministry’s proposal to set up the council, which will focus on policy coordination, monitoring, and effective implementation of AIDS control programmes, according to an official release on Wednesday.

"The Council will enhance community participation and ensure the enrolment of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), Most At-Risk Populations (MARPs), and Children Affected by AIDS (CABA) in social protection schemes," said Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav in the release.

The council includes secretaries from key departments such as Health, Education, Women & Child Development, Panchayati Raj, and Youth Affairs, to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration. According to the release, representatives of PLHIV, MARPs, civil society, NGOs, and the Project Director of Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) will also be part of the council, ensuring inclusivity and grassroots-level representation in the decision-making process. The council will hold regular meetings to review progress, mobilise resources, and implement preventive and treatment protocols across Andhra Pradesh for comprehensive HIV/AIDS control.