The Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) under the aegis of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), would launch the third round of the Intensified Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign on HIV and STIs on August 12, coinciding with International Youth Day, at Agri Expo, 4th Mile, Chumoukedima.
The campaign would be formally launched by P Paiwang Konyak, Minister, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Nagaland.
Aligned with the priorities of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and the Mobilization for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) approach, the two-month campaign will focus on strengthening HIV and STI awareness, promoting prevention and early testing, addressing stigma and discrimination, and increasing access to related health services.
The campaign would follow a district-led, data-driven and result-focused approach, with all 17 districts taking greater ownership based on their local needs, data and gaps. All districts across Nagaland will launch their respective district-level campaigns on International Youth Day.
Reaching Communities across Nagaland
During the two-month campaign, NSACS would conduct 550 village-level meetings across 287 villages, a minimum of 5,500 household door-to-door outreach activities and 540 school outreach sessions.
The campaign would also include 110 folk performances in rural areas, 64 college awareness sessions, 50 urban flash mob activities and 17 special health camps at Government hospitals, covering all 17 districts.
To strengthen digital outreach, particularly among young people, 40 social media influencers will be engaged alongside a dedicated two-month social media campaign. The campaign will also promote the HIV Self-Risk Assessment Tool and BreakFree, providing young people with accessible information and avenues to assess their risk and connect with appropriate HIV and STI services.
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The campaign will contribute to the goals of the National AIDS Control Programme, including the 95:95:99 targets, while emphasising the importance of testing, treatment, care and support.
A major feature of the launch will be the flagging off of five new Health on Bike outreach motorbikes to strengthen HIV-related services in Niuland, Tseminyu, Tuensang, Mokokchung – Longchem and Mon – Tobu. These five bikes would add to the eight Health on Bike motorbikes already provided to eight districts, further expanding outreach to hard-to-reach communities.
The initiative, “Health on Bike – Reaching the Unreached,” would take essential HIV prevention, testing and related services closer to communities where difficult terrain and limited connectivity can restrict access to routine services.
The Minister would also flag off the Intensified IEC Campaign 2026 Bike Rally, with 25 bikers carrying the message of HIV and STI awareness, prevention and solidarity to communities. Similar bike rallies will also be conducted in nine other districts, taking the campaign message across the State.
The launch programme would bring together senior Government and health officials, district administrations, District health programme officers, partner NGOs, community leaders, teachers, students and young people.
The campaign will run across Nagaland for the next two months with a clear call to move: From Awareness to Action; From Mobilisation to Results; and From Stigma to Solidarity.
