SHILLONG: Project Sunrise, a five-year project (2015-2020) will on February 6 test innovative approaches to increase coverage of HIV services such as needle syringe exchange, opioid substitution therapy (OST), community based HIV testing and linkage to care and treatment services in selected high burden districts of the NE region.
In addition, Project Sunrise will support linkages to health and social protection programs; sensitization of key stakeholders such as law enforcement agencies, faith based organisations and community-based organisations; and strengthening prison intervention programs.
Project Sunrise has been formulated after intensive discussions with the State representatives and NACO (National AIDS Control Organization) along with CDC (Center for disease Control and Prevention) experts. The discussions have been spread over the past one year in which five consultations were held in different North Eastern states. Each consultation looked into the various aspects of program implementation and gaps which would be addressed by Project Sunrise. Each consultation had representatives from the communities. Separate consultations were held by the states with various stakeholders.
CDC have selected FHI 360 (a not for profit human development organization) for technical and financial support and to enhance institutional and human capacity to scale-up and strengthen the quality of comprehensive package of services for People Who Inject Drug (PWID) population.
The programme was launched by J. P. Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in presence of Phungzathang Tonsing, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Manipur, guest of honour A L Hek, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, Navreet Singh Kang, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI, Pauline Harvey, Director, Division of HIV and Tuberculosis, CDC India and P. K. Singh, Commissioner (Health & Family Welfare), Government of Manipur.
