Kohima, 1 December (MTNews): Along with the rest of the world, Nagaland today observed World AIDS Day under the theme ‘Let Communities Lead.’ The state-level function was held in Kohima with the United States Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, as the Special Guest.
Garcetti emphasized that every nation has borders, but the greatest threats in the world are those without borders, such as the COVID pandemic, which can enter without a passport and spread to every part of the world. Noting that AIDS has also touched people across borders, languages, cultures, and religions, he emphasized that it is time to face the challenges of HIV and AIDS together as one.
He stated that India has the second-largest number of people living with HIV. Garcetti commended the India National AIDS Control Program, acclaimed as a global model, and appreciated that the US has been made a co-author in some elements of the project. He mentioned that the project has successfully brought awareness of HIV-AIDS and its treatment even to remote villages. On the theme of the Day, he noted that when communities lead, it becomes an unstoppable force, adding that communities can stop the stigma around HIV.
Emphasizing that the fight against HIV and AIDS needs to continue, Garcetti assured that the US will continue to provide resources to the state.
e-ART launched in Nagaland
A new telehealth program for patients living with HIV, called e-ART, was launched today by the Nagaland AIDS Control Society. This initiative, according to US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, was made possible through the partnership of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and USAID agencies.
“We’re proud to partner with government and community groups to tackle this issue together. Let Communities Lead!” stated Garcetti through a tweet.