A team from National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the division under Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that leads HIV/AIDS control programmes in India, inspected the facilities at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Wednesday.
The team members also reviewed the coordination between various Government agencies and the IEC (information, education and communication) campaign being undertaken in the district.
The team comprised Vasanthi Krishnan, the National Coordinator of National HIV/AIDS Communication Resource and Support Centre (NHCRSC), which serves as the technical support unit to the IEC Division of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and M. Kulandai Raj, Regional Communication Officer, NACO. They were accompanied by Divya Ramalingam, Deputy Director (IEC), Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS), C. Palaniappan, Assistant Director (IEC), TANSACS and M.S. Pugal, coordinator, Greater Involvement of People living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) besides the Coimbatore District Programme Manager (District AIDS Prevention Control Unit) B. Mohamed Ali. The team inspected the CMCH’s blood bank, Integrated Testing and Counselling Centres (ICTC) for HIV/AIDS patients, anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre, and the sexually transmitted infections clinic. Later, the team also visited the Avinashilingam University and assessed its Red Ribbon Club activities. The team members also interacted with members of the TAI Vizhuthugal, an NGO.
