Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has emerged as one of the most serious public health problem in the country after reporting of the first case in 1986. The identification of HIV positive individuals in 1986 resulted in the Government forming the National AIDS Committee (NAC) headed by the Union Health Secretary. The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), focusing on increasing awareness of HIV/AIDS, screening of blood for HIV and testing of individuals practicing risk behavior was launched in 1987
NACP-I (National AIDS Control Programme – I)
The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) was first launched in 1992 with an IDA Credit of USD84 million and US $1.5 million in the form of technical assistance from World Health Organization. It was implemented with an objective of slowing down the spread of HIV infections so as to reduce morbidity, mortality and impact of AIDS in the country. National AIDS Control Board (NACB) was constituted and an autonomous National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) was set up to implement the project. The first phase focused on awareness generation, setting up surveillance system for monitoring HIV epidemic, measures to ensure access to safe blood and preventive services for high risk group populations.
NACP-II (National AIDS Control Programme – II)
The National AIDS Control Organization, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the National AIDS Control Programme- II, from December, 1999. It was launched with World Bank credit support of USD 191 million. The two key objectives of NACP II was to reduce the spread of HIV infection in India, and to increase India’s capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS on a long-term basis.
Key policy initiatives taken during NACP II included:
- Adoption of National AIDS Prevention and Control Policy (2002)
- Scale up of Targeted Interventions for High risk groups in high prevalence states
- Adoption of National Blood Policy
- A strategy for Greater Involvement of People with HIV/AIDS (GIPA)
- Launch of National Adolescent Education Programme (NAEP)
- Introduction of counseling, testing and PPTCT programmes
- Launch of National Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) program
- Formation of anointer-ministerial group for mainstreaming
- Setting up of the National Council on AIDS, chaired by the Prime Minister
- Setting up of State AIDS Control Societies in all states
NACP-III (National AIDS Control Programme – III)
The third phase of the national programme (NACPIII) was launched in July 2007 with the goal of Halting and Reversing the Epidemic by the end of project period. It was aimed at halting and reversing the HIV epidemic in India over its five-year period by scaling up prevention efforts among High Risk Groups (HRG) and General Population and integrating them with Care, Support & Treatment services. Prevention and Care, Support & Treatment (CST) form the two key pillars of all the AIDS control efforts in India
NACP-IV (National AIDS Control Programme – IV)
The Phase IV of the National AIDS Control Programme was initially implemented from 2012 to 2017. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister had given its approval for continuation of National AIDS Control Programme-IV (NACP-IV) beyond 12th Five Year Plan for a period of three years from April, 2017 to March, 2020. The twin objectives of NCAP-IV were:
- Reduce new infections by 50% (2007 Baseline of NACP III)
- Comprehensive care, support and treatment to all persons living with HIV/AIDS
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