The Hindu : National : National Council on AIDS formed

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Thursday, Jan 06, 2005

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National

National Council on AIDS formed

By P. Sunderarajan

NEW DELHI, JAN. 5. The Government today announced the formation of a National Council on AIDS, with the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, as its chairperson.

This is in keeping with the promise made in the National Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Alliance.

The members would include the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, and a host of Ministers, including Finance, Home, Defence, Labour, Railways, Rural Development, Health and Family Welfare, Education, and Youth and Sports Affairs, besides representatives of industry, NGOs, associations of people affected by HIV/AIDS, and the media. It would meet at least once a year.

Speaking to The Hindu , the Director General of the National AIDS Control Organisation, S.Y. Qureshi, said the council's main role would be to advise, guide and provide directions to the National AIDS Control Organisation, enable the various Ministries to incorporate HIV/AIDS control as part of their work plans and help scale up the capabilities of industry and others in controlling the disease.

India today stood next only to South Africa, which was estimated to have 5.4 million cases.

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