DM&HO reviews AIDS control programme

Kurnool: A district-level review meeting on the implementation of the AIDS control programme was held at the District Medical and Health Office in Kurnool on Wednesday. District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr Kameswara Prasad chaired the meeting where the performance of the programme from April to February was assessed.

He stressed that maintaining efficiency in both service delivery and reporting mechanisms is critical to the success of public health initiatives.

During the meeting, the DM&HO directed officials to ensure the availability of comprehensive HIV-related services at all healthcare centres, including non-discriminatory testing, counselling, and uninterrupted supply of antiretroviral therapy (ART).

He instructed staff to conduct viral load tests in a timely manner and to upload daily reports through the online system without fail.

Special emphasis was laid on monitoring pregnant women and high-risk groups, with directions to ART centre staff to carry out regular follow-ups through phone calls to ensure adherence to treatment.

Dr Kameswara Prasad set clear targets for the district, calling for 95% HIV testing coverage, linking 95% of identified HIV-positive individuals to ART services, and achieving 99% timely viral load testing. He warned that any lapses in duty or delays in reporting would invite strict disciplinary action. The meeting was attended by key officials, including Nodal Medical Officer Dr Mallikarjuna Reddy, District Statistical Officer Hema Sundar, Cluster Programme Manager Ali Haider, Cluster Prevention Officer Rajyalakshmi, ART doctors, counsellors, and representatives of voluntary organisations.